CODY, Wyo., Jan. 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- REACH Air Medical Services announces the expansion of their services into Wyoming. In late January, REACH will be transitioning ownership and management of the air medical helicopter base in Cody, WY. The company will add a second base, located in Greybull, WY, providing patient transports onboard a medically-equipped King Air B200 airplane.
Both bases will provide round-the-clock, life‐saving emergency air medical service to area residents. The well trained flight crew consists of a flight nurse, flight paramedic and pilot. These highly skilled teams provide critical care during transport.
“Opening a second base in the Big Horn Basin benefits the community in many ways,” states Sean Russell, President of REACH Air Medical Services. “In this rural landscape, a plane can be advantageous to transport patients to needed care. With our airplane in Greybill, and our helicopter in Cody, we will increase our ability to serve patients in their time of need. Our airplane has the ability to travel long distances, and often under adverse weather conditions that may ground other aircraft. The Wyoming bases, along with our bases in Montana and Colorado, will support the region as a whole. When minutes matter, having an air medical transport service in the community saves lives.”
Anna Blair, REACH Vice President of Business Relations, shared, “For nearly 30 years, REACH has served the air medical transport needs of rural areas of the Western United States. We are proud to become part of Wyoming’s medical community and look forward to providing high quality medical care to patients and hospitals in the Big Horn Basin. “
Dr. David Fairbanks, the current Medical Director at the Cody base, will continue on as the REACH Medical Director for the region. He shared, “In preparation for the transition to REACH, all current medical crew members have attended the REACH Academy where they spend several days immersed in hands on training courses they need to pass in order to become a member of the REACH clinical team. The collective experience of both paramedics and nurses averages 13 years of critical care and 5 years in flight critical care.” Dr. Fairbanks adds, “The Company’s commitment to the Big Horn Basin mirrors their dedication to placing the patient’s needs first. I am grateful that REACH will bring patients to the critical medical care they need in a timely fashion.” In addition to his role as the Medical Director for the REACH, Dr. Fairbanks will serve as a flight team member, making these two Wyoming bases the only air transport program in the region with an active physician on board.
REACH Air Medical Services was named Program of the Year by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS). Sponsored by Airbus Helicopters, Inc., this award is hailed as one of the air medical transport industry’s highest honors and is presented annually to a company that clearly exceeds industry standards for safety, patient care, leadership and community service.
REACH is part of the AirMedCare Network, the nation’s largest emergency air medical transport membership program. Members are covered for out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an emergency air transport by REACH or another AirMedCare Network provider. For a low-cost annual fee, individuals and companies may join more than 1.7 million members who receive coverage from more than 220 air base transport locations across 28 states coast to coast.
About REACH Air Medical Services
REACH Air Medical Services, headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, provides critical care air and ground transport service to communities throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Texas, Colorado and Wyoming. Since 1987, the company has safely transported more than 100,000 ill or injured patients to needed care. REACH employs hundreds of highly-trained nurses, medics, pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians to provide service to patients using their fleet of medically equipped helicopters, airplanes and ground ambulances. REACH is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS), which is the gold standard for patient care and safety for air medical transport services. For more information, visit www.REACHair.com.
About AirMedCare Network
REACH Air Medical Services is part of the AirMedCare Network, America’s largest air medical transport membership network, providing emergency access to the highest level of care for its more than 1.7 million members. The AirMedCare Network combines the membership programs of many leading air ambulance providers in 28 states from more than 220 air base locations. For more information, visit www.airmedcarenetwork.com.