Base closure sees Air Evac become the primary provider for Limestone County

Air Methods has announced that the MedFlight Huntsville base in Meridianville, Alabama, is due to close following ‘a thorough review and analysis of the area, and confirmation that the community needs can be fulfilled by our other area bases and aircraft’.

This change means that Air Evac Lifeteam is now Limestone County’s primary provider for emergency care transport, and Zac Curtis, Programme Director at Air Evac’s base in Tuscumbia, was quick to assure concerned parties that neither first-responders nor patients would experience a gap in service or response time: though MedFlight’s base was closer, Air Evac has bases in Tuscumbia, Vinemont and Scottsboro in Alabama and Lawrenceburg, and Lewisburg and Waynesboro in Tennessee.

Air Evac Lifeteam operates over 130 bases in 15 states, with more than 150 Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopters and over 2,800 employees. The Air Evac team also carry blood and plasma on board in the event a blood transfusion is required, thus increasing patients’ chances of survival.

Curtis also notes that the team is reliable and well-versed in the intricacies of air rescue: “The turnover is not very high. There are open positions from time to time, but it takes a lot of experience.” He added: “The average clinical crew member has 12 years of experience on an aircraft.”

He also explains that anyone wanting to work for Air Evac as a nurse or medic needs to have at least three years’ experience in a critical care field, either as a paramedic or nurse, and that those interested in becoming pilots should have at least 2,000 hours of training before being considered.

Air Evac will be able to provide ample care to the area, in place of MedFlight’s Huntsville base. “I don't have any doubt we'll be able to provide definitive care to Limestone County,” finished Curtis.