Air Methods Relocates Black Hills Life Flight Base to Rapid City

RAPID CITY, S.D., Oct. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Hills Life Flight, a division of Air Methods, announced it has relocated its rotor wing aircraft to its base in Rapid City, South Dakota to serve the surrounding communities. The base will ensure that residents in the surrounding areas, including across state boarders in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming, have access to air medical services and the new location will result in quicker response times for emergent and trauma situations.

The decision to relocate assets to Rapid City comes after an extensive review of the local area and its needs, and how Black Hill Life Flight can more efficiently provide that service. With this move, Black Hills Life Flight will operate a rotor wing and fixed wing aircraft in Rapid City staffed with a critical care RN and paramedic and pilot on each transport. In addition, the team will provide critical care air medical services 24/7/365 to the area surrounding Rapid City and across state lines, which is critical given the distance between these communities and trauma centers.

With the continued consolidation and closure of hospitals throughout the U.S., the need for air medical is more critical than ever. Today more than 85 million Americans live more than an hour drive from Level-1 or -2 trauma centers, which creates an increasing demand for air medical services to ensure that patients have access to necessary care centers.

Black Hills Life Flight, along with all air medical services, provides essential and lifesaving services throughout the country. During missions, highly trained medical teams care for patients with lifesaving interventions to significantly improve patient outcomes. These interventions include providing advanced trauma care such as blood product administration, advanced airway intervention, cardiac/hemodynamic monitoring, ventilator management and vasoactive medication administration and titration. With the continued consolidation of hospitals and the trend towards centers with specialized heart or neurological care, the clinical support and speed of missions is critical to giving patients the best possible outcomes.

“We are acutely aware of the need for air medical services in the entire Black Hills region – and throughout the nation –  and are consistently reviewing our operations to ensure we provide the most efficient service and provide the greatest access to care for the region,” said Darryl Crown, regional business development manager of Black Hills Life Flight. “The new Rapid City base will provide that consistency and peace of mind to residents in the surrounding area. We have worked closely with local leaders to ensure that we are able to provide these services to residents when they need it.”

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About Air Methods

Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

Darryl Crown
Air Methods
(605) 593-6377
[email protected]

Megan Smith
Amendola Communications
(404) 408-3379
[email protected]