A new aircraft has been added to the Life Flight fleet, expanding area coverage for air transport services to include rural or isolated areas.
Air Methods facilitated this expansion, in collaboration with Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Health. With this new helicopter, these medical facilities will also be able to transfer critically ill or specialized care patients for swift interfacility transport for those patients in need of a higher level of care.
“This longstanding relationship continues to grow, and we are honored to support Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital with an additional aircraft,” said Air Methods Regional Vice President Matt Turner. “Expanding Life Flight’s reach means more lives saved, faster access to care and a stronger health care network for the region.”
This new helicopter is fully equipped to ensure critical, lifesaving care in the air while its team transports both adults and children. Key features on board include oxygen and advanced airway support, blood products for transfusion, specialized cardiac support and advanced life support equipment (ventilators, defibrillators and patient monitors).
A specialized team of pilots and certified flight registered nurses and flight paramedics staff these helicopters. When they’re not on a mission, crews work to train clinicians in the field and provide hands-on instruction and real-world simulations. Additionally, these teams conduct specialized workshops and courses focused on critical care skills and emergency response capabilities.
“Helicopter transport is critical in life-threatening, time-sensitive emergencies, like stroke, heart attack or trauma, where seconds make all the difference,” said Baptist Health CEO and President Michael A. Mayo. “At Baptist Health, we aim to meet people where and when they need us most with vital health care services. We value our continued collaboration with Air Methods to bring this new asset to our community to help ensure people have quick access to advanced emergency care when every second counts.”
Life Flight celebrated 45 years of service. It launched in 1980 and, at the time, was Florida’s second air ambulance and only one of 40 across the country.
