Air Methods makes EMS base in California fully operational

Air Methods new emergency air medical base, Mercy Air 10, is now fully operational.

Rotary medical provider Air Methods has made its emergency air medical base, Mercy Air 10, opened late last year in Blythe, California, fully operational.

The base provides specialised critical care air medical services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The new base remedies the limited medical resources and the overall remoteness of Eastern Riverside County, ensuring rapid access to critical care for residents and visitors in the region, according to Air Methods.

Mercy Air 10 operates in partnership with sister bases Mercy Air 27 in El Centro, Mercy Air 18 in Thermal and TriState CareFlight, along the Colorado River. Working together the programmes are designed to provide full air medical coverage across the California–Arizona border.

“We recognised the need for advanced emergent medical transport in Blythe and the surrounding area,” said Vanessa Hayflich, regional director, Mercy Air. “Our commitment is to deliver lifesaving care where it’s needed.”

Air Methods recently appointed Dr Seth Dukes as medical director for Mercy Air. Dukes brings wide expertise in emergency medicine, specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of urgent and emergent illnesses and injuries, according to the provider. He supports clinical education, continuous quality improvement and acts as a consultation resource for flight crews.

“This role is a new chapter and a positive challenge for me,” said Dukes. “My background in ground operations and critical care transport [CCT] has prepared me to move into air CCT. Air Methods has a strong national presence and an exceptional team, and I look forward to learning from them.” The provider has proved a pioneer in carrying blood products to better serve patients, he added.

The Mercy Air team responds when dispatched through a 911 call or in response to a request from a local first responder agency or from a hospital needing an interfacility transfer. The flight team includes a pilot and a critical care team consisting of a nurse and a paramedic.

Every transport mission carries blood products, which can be administered in flight to improve patient outcomes.

Meanwhile, last September Air Methods opened a new base at Evanston Regional Hospital to provide emergency care for residents and visitors throughout southwestern Wyoming and north eastern Utah.