REACH to establish new base near Mendocino National Forest
US-based REACH Air Medical Services has announced that it will open a new air medical base in the town of Williams in Colusa County, California
The base, which will be located along the Interstate 5 highway, will be home to an Airbus H-125 in medical configuration, and be staffed by a team of pilots, flight nurses and paramedics, and an on-site maintenance technician.
According to Jeff Gilbert, Fire Chief for Williams Fire Protection Agency, the new base’s location close to the 3,696 km2 Mendocino National Forest – a popular tourist destination, and the only national forest in California without a major paved road entering it – will be hugely beneficial.
“For many years, the Williams Fire Protection Authority has worked with the teams from REACH and other local air medical providers to assist with scene flights, and we are excited to finally welcome a full-time base into our community,” he added.
“We look forward to strengthening our service in California’s central corridor and providing local hospitals, fire departments and EMS agencies with a dependable partner in patient care,” added Vicky Spediacci, Air Chief Operating Officer for REACH’s parent company, Global Medical Response.
The new base will join several existing REACH bases across California, including one in Victorville which opened in 2019.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. 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.