STATCARE places helicopter in Seymour, In.

By MIKE POYNTER
STATCARE

SEYMOUR, INDIANA — Beginning August 2, sick and injured patients from Seymour, IN and surrounding areas will have access to a STATCARE helicopter from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. 

This will increase the availability of rapid transport of critically ill patients along with the STATCARE helicopter based in Louisville 24 hours a day.  STATCARE, a comprehensive transport service supported by the partnership of Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services, Norton Healthcare and University of Louisville Health Care, is placing a helicopter at the Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.

STATCARE helicopters serve west central Kentucky and southern Indiana, providing transportation from accident scenes and from hospital to hospital. With helicopter bases in Glasgow and Louisville in Kentucky and Seymour, IN and an average liftoff time of seven minutes, STATCARE’s twin engine helicopters can respond quickly when patients need medical assistance. STATCARE flies patients to hospitals in Louisville, Lexington, Indianapolis, and Nashville. STATCARE’s two Instrument Flight Rules helicopters can fly in inclement weather when many other aircraft cannot and have the power and equipment to transport two critically injured patients simultaneously.

The specialty-trained STATCARE crews provide educational opportunities at no charge for healthcare providers in its coverage area. In 2003, the Louisville-based emergency transport company offered 318 educational seminars to 6,406 students for a total of 16,306 continuing education hours.

“We are very excited to be getting STATCARE to locate in Jackson County," said Dennis Brasher, the executive director for Jackson County EMS. "Not only will this be a big asset to patient care in our county but also to the counties surrounding Jackson County. Getting critically ill or injured patients to a level 1 trauma center in a timely manner is the key to survival. Residents of our area should be thankful to Schneck, Jackson County EMS and STATCARE for this cooperative effort in accomplishing this monumental task.” 

STATCARE is the oldest air ambulance service in Kentucky with its inception in 1982. To date STATCARE has flown more than 20,000 transports. STATCARE’s services include emergency helicopters, fixed wing (airplane) aircraft and a pediatric mobile intensive care unit. STATCARE’s operations base, including its central offices, communication center, airplanes and a helicopter, is located at Bowman Field in Louisville.

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