AirLift supplies Texas with additional HEMS aircraft for eclipse

On 8 April Texas will experience a total solar eclipse beginning at the Texas-Mexico border at 13:27 hrs (local time) and ending at 13:49 hrs. With Waco expected to be a popular location for viewing the coming eclipse, the AirLift Texas crew anticipates 100,000 visitors in the city. To help serve the large numbers of visitors in the days surrounding the eclipse, AirLift Texas is bringing in an additional air medical helicopter. AirLift’s emergency air medical helicopter will enable medics to reach patients quickly during an emergency in a crowd.

Teresa Snell, Area Manager with Air Methods, the parent company of AirLift Texas, commented: “With the expected influx of people in the area, there is great concern with ground EMS services being able to efficiently transport patients to a higher level of care … We are bringing in an extra EC130 helicopter to help with scene calls, interfacility transfers, and specialty team transports.”

The second helicopter and its crew will serve the Waco area from 7–10 April. It will be stationed alongside the primary aircraft at AirLift’s base at TSTC Waco Airport.

“Our first responders across the city have been extensively planning for this event and working hard to ensure the safety of the members of our community,” said Dr Rama Heyratifar, MD, from Baylor Scott & White’s Department of Emergency Medicine. “AirLift Texas will be providing additional air medical assets to augment our pre-hospital capabilities. Our community will heavily rely on our air medical partners on eclipse day and the days surrounding it. We are thankful for AirLift’s partnership in supporting our community daily and during this historic event.”

Last year Air Methods announced the opening of a new fixed-wing air ambulance base in New Braunfels, Texas.