Air Methods hails launch of new Florida base

Air Methods, the US helicopter emergency medical services provider, has welcomed a new HEMS base – AirLife Florida 1 in Wakulla County – in the northeast of the Sunshine State.

Opened on June 4th, the new base at Crawfordville is intended to expand Air Methods’ critical care network across Florida. It joins the company’s other providers including AIRHeart 2 in Marianna, Okaloosa, MedFlight in Niceville and AirLife Florida 12 and LifeFlight 1 in Pensacola.

“This expansion allows for faster response times to emergency calls, offering 24/7 care for patients suffering from trauma events, heart attacks, strokes, paediatric emergencies, burns, motor vehicle accident and more,” according to the company. AirLife Florida also provides critical interfacility transports for patients moving between hospitals for specialised care.

AirLife Florida 1 operates a Bell 407GXi helicopter. The aircraft is equipped with the advanced medical equipment and medications required to function as a flying intensive care unit (ICU). Flight nurses and paramedics carry blood on board and can deliver critical trauma care at the scene of the incident or in flight.

Tommy Cochran, account executive Air Methods said: “We’re excited to expand our services in Wakulla County, bringing faster access to the safe, advanced critical care the people in the area needed. AirLife Florida is committed to being mission-ready whenever and wherever our services are needed, ensuring patients receive the highest level of care in their most critical moments.”

Air Methods works in-network with most health insurance providers.

Last month, the air ambulance provider marked the opening of its new national dispatch centre in Omaha, Nebraska. The new facility, the largest aeromedical dispatch centre in the US, brings together 225 colleagues from AirCom and Direct Patient Logistics teams who provide around-the-clock dispatch services for more than 300 air ambulance helicopters and airplanes nationwide and transfer services for large hospital systems.

Meanwhile, at the Verticon helicopter show in March the company signed a purchase agreement with Bell for up to 27 aircraft, including 15IFR-configured Bell 407GXis with an option to purchase an additional 12 aircraft in the future. This agreement comes on the heels of Air Methods’ recent signed purchase agreement for a Bell 429.

At the same event, Air Methods also revealed a deal with Airbus Helicopters to acquire H140 helicopters plus 10 H125s and 11 H135s to support air medical missions across the  US.