Air Evac Lifeteam opens base in Bowling Green

JULIE HEAVRIN
Public Relations Manager, Air Evac Lifeteam

BOWLING GREEN — Air Evac Lifeteam, a rural air ambulance provider, has expanded its service area in south-central Kentucky with the opening of an air ambulance base in Bowling Green.

The base, located at a temporary site at the Bowling Green Airport, went into operation this morning and is one of 62 bases in the Air Evac Lifeteam system. The company operates bases at nearby Hopkinsville and Campbellsville, as well as Albany and Middlesboro, Ky.

Air Evac Lifeteam Area Manager Jason Ingram said they are working with The Medical Center to locate a permanent site for the base on its campus in Bowling Green. He said plans are to have the permanent base constructed later this year. The temporary site, as well as the permanent site, includes a hangar and living facilities for the crew. The base will provide employment for 12 to 15 employees and will serve communities within a 70-mile radius.

“The opening of this base is part of an ongoing commitment by Air Evac Lifeteam and the health care community in this region to improve access to trauma care for the residents of rural America,” said Air Evac Lifeteam Area Manager Jason Ingram. “Our company’s business philosophy is based on the belief that air ambulances should be placed in areas of greatest need – communities that are often far from major trauma centers.”

Air Evac Lifeteam crews include a pilot, registered nurse and paramedic. The crew is on duty 24 hours a day and can respond to the scenes of medical emergency, bringing lifesaving medical care directly to the patient, or transfer patients between medical facilities.

“We would not be able to offer this valuable service to the community, without the support of many people, including officials at The Medical Center,” Ingram said. “We commend them for recognizing the benefit this lifesaving service will be to the communities and patients they serve.”

“The Medical Center and Air Evac are working toward a common goal to provide the residents of South-central Kentucky with the most rapid and appropriate response in emergency transport. The goal is to save lives. Our Medical Center EMS provides timely ground response and transport and exceptional emergency medical care. However, we recognize the need in some rural settings for air evacuation in order to provide patients the greatest opportunity for quick response that could save their lives,” said Doris Thomas, Vice President of Marketing for Commonwealth Health Corporation, the parent company of The Medical Center.

Ingram said he and crewmembers are looking forward to strengthening relationships with other emergency responders in this region, recognizing that good patient care requires the efforts of everyone – from first responders and law enforcement officers at the scene to EMS and hospital personnel.

“We all play very vital roles in the lives of these patients,” Ingram said. “The people of this region are very fortunate to have access to quality health care services through their local hospitals and EMS providers. We’ve been working alongside many of them since the opening of our base in Hopkinsville in 1999. Our goal is be an extension of that excellent service by providing rapid transport in critical medical situations.”

““Medical Center EMS welcomes the addition of air medical transport to our community.  We have been working with Air Evac since 1999.  Both entities work well together in a team effort to save lives. This is yet another enhancement to our Emergency Management delivery system in south-central Kentucky,“ said Randy Fathbruckner, Director of Medical Center EMS.”

Air Evac Lifeteam was the first air ambulance service in the country to offer a membership program. Members pay an annual fee and, if they are flown by Air Evac Lifeteam for life- or limb-threatening medical emergencies, they do not have to pay for the flight. Memberships are valid in all Air Evac Lifeteam service areas so members are covered while traveling through Air Evac Lifeteam service areas.

Annual memberships are $50 for an individual, $55 for a couple and $60 for a household of three or more.

For more information about Air Evac Lifeteam services, call 1-800-793-0010 or visit www.lifeteam.net.

Copyright © 2006 The Kentucky EMS Connection. All rights reserved. News stories may be copyrighted by another organization. Original material may be reproduced provided source is credited.