Latest news with #emergencytransport
Japan Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan eyes new target for replacing utility poles with underground power cables
The infrastructure ministry will set a new target for stepping up efforts to move power lines underground in the nation and eliminate existing above-ground utility poles. Specifically, in its envisaged new five-year plan starting in fiscal 2026, the ministry will list sections of emergency transport routes in urban areas for which it aims to complete work to replace utility poles with underground power cables by fiscal 2030, informed sources said. The ministry hopes to formalize the new plan next spring, after discussions by a panel of experts. The ministry is mainly seeking to remove utility poles along approximately 21,826 kilometers of urban-area emergency transport routes that have a high risk of collapsing in the event of a disaster. As of the end of fiscal 2024, such work had been completed for only 35% of the high-priority areas. The current program, covering fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025, sets a target for the construction start rate. In areas where putting power lines underground is challenging due to reasons such as roads being narrow, the ministry plans to utilize roadside drains, the sources said. This approach is expected to reduce costs and shorten construction times. Laying power lines underground is estimated to cost around ¥500 million ($3.4 million) per kilometer of road, according to the sources. Emergency transport routes, designated by prefectural governments under the basic law on disaster management, are designed for use to ensure a smooth transportation option for people needing emergency medical care and relief goods in times of disasters. The construction of new utility poles along such roads is banned as fallen poles could obstruct emergency vehicle traffic. With removing utility poles also helping to improve the urban landscape, the ministry is providing financial support to electric power companies and others that manage power lines and to local governments to facilitate replacing above-ground poles with underground power lines.
CBC
24-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
1 body recovered from Airmedic helicopter crash on Quebec's North Shore; 3 still missing
The body of one of the four people missing since Friday's Airmedic helicopter crash on Quebec's North Shore was recovered Monday evening. The company, which specializes in emergency medical transport, confirmed that divers with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) recovered one of the aircraft's crew members at around 7 p.m. In a statement late Monday night, Airmedic said its thoughts are "with the family and loved ones of our colleague, to whom we offer our most sincere condolences." The identity of the victim will be released by the coroner once formal identification has been completed and the family's consent is obtained, the company said. The Airmedic helicopter carrying four crew members and one passenger crashed into Watshishou Lake around 10:30 p.m. Friday, near Natashquan, Que., about 1,000 kilometres northeast of Montreal, during a transport operation. One of the crew members managed to escape in circumstances that are still unclear. That person was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Search efforts to locate the aircraft and the other three individuals still missing are expected to continue Tuesday. "During these painful hours, the entire Airmedic family is in mourning," company spokesperson Raphaële Bourgault wrote in a statement. "We are deeply shaken and stand in solidarity with one another through this difficult time." Airmedic said it suspended its flight operations in the wake of the crash in order to prioritize the well-being of its teams and offer them the support they need. Psychosocial resources have been made available to employees, the company said.
