Helium leak at SMC spurs fire department response

Helium venting from the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit at Shawano Medical Center (SMC) prompted a response from the Shawano Fire Department and city and county law enforcement.

Helium is used to cool the magnet inside the MRI unit. If the helium becomes too warm, it vents and automatically sends a fire alarm. The helium produced what looked like smoke from a pipe on the roof of the hospital, explained Penny Block, director of patient care services at SMC. There was no fire.

“The equipment did what it was supposed to do,” Block said. “And the response of the fire department was also on target. We appreciate how quickly the fire department arrived.”

She added that hospital staff also responded immediately to the alarm.

“Everybody was there, working together. The staff responded very well,” Block added.

A representative from General Electric, the manufacturer of the MRI, was called to assess what happened.

The MRI uses magnetic energy to create pictures of the inside of a patient’s body.

MRI appointments Thursday were canceled.

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Helium leak at SMC spurs fire department response

Helium venting from the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit at Shawano Medical Center (SMC) prompted a response from the Shawano Fire Department and city and county law enforcement.