posted December 01, 2023

Air medical team brings new service line to the Lone Star state

NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS, Dec 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AirLift Texas announced today the opening of its new fixed wing air medical base in New Braunfels, TX. This air medical asset, AirLift 10, adds to the current AirLift rotor wing ecosystem in Waco and Weslaco, and also supports sister base AirLIFE in Uvalde. The programs are part of Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider in the U.S.

The Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft allows AirLift’s best-in-class critical care clinicians to serve patients needing to travel further distances for definitive care and will also allow them to transport patients in a wider range of weather conditions.

“In the expansive landscape of Texas, rapid and reliable emergency medical transport is not just a necessity, it’s a lifeline that can make the difference between life and death,” said David Lopez, area manager for Air Methods. “Our new base enables us to cover longer distances with enhanced speed and to travel in weather conditions that helicopters may not, bringing critical care closer to those in need.”

Because safety is a top priority, the base opened for daytime operations only on Dec.1 to allow the pilots to become familiar with the terrain while base operations officials ensure everything works properly and meets Air Methods’ high standards for safety. The base will then transition to 24/7 service.

Located at the New Braunfels National Airport at 1654 Entrance Drive, AirLift 10 will provide emergency air medical services and critical interfacility transports across the state and beyond. The highly trained flight nurses and paramedics are equipped to transport pediatric, high-risk obstetrics, cardiac, and other patients with a wide variety of critical care needs. They will also carry blood that can be administered in-flight for patients suffering significant blood loss and are at risk for hemorrhagic shock, which causes the body’s organs to fail and can lead to death.

“We established this base due to the growing need for fixed wing air medical services in the region,” said Evelynn Pruitt, account executive with Air Methods. “With so many of our friends and family members living in rural parts of the state that are more than an hour’s drive from a Level I or II trauma center, there is an increasing demand for air medical services to ensure that patients have access to the care they need.” 

The base will hold a grand opening celebration event in early January.

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities we serve and are in-network with most major health insurance providers for emergency air medical services. Additionally, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability.