Life Link III opens purpose-built facility at Minnesota’s Willmarr Airport
The new all-in-one facility represents a major upgrade for the service, and is expected to result in real improvements to response time
Air ambulance provider Life Link III has opened a new facility at Willmar Municipal Airport in the US state of Minnesota.
Construction of the base, funded by a one-time US$1.5 million federal grant, was completed in February, and the site was formally opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 8 May.
The purpose-built facility features a new hangar for the service’s aircraft, dedicated crew quarters, and facilities for aircraft maintenance.
The facility represents a significant upgrade to Life Link III’s operations at Willmar. Prior to its construction, Life Link crew were based out of a trailer on site, and had to sprint to their helicopter approximately 400ft (122km) away when responding to a call.
Life Link III moved its Hutchinson, Minnesota, location to Willmar Municipal Airport in 2013. The nonprofit air ambulance provider currently operates from 11 bases in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Fellow US-based air ambulance provider Air Methods has partnered with healthcare provider Covenant Health to operate a new air ambulance service in eastern Tennessee.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca was a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.