CORVALLIS, OR – March 8, 2006— REACH Air Medical Services (REACH) is extending its emergency helicopter service to the Mid-Valley area of Oregon to serve the emergent air medical transport needs of the surrounding communities.
REACH’s new base, located at Corvallis Municipal Airport, will provide more rapid response to patients in need of emergent air medical flights from the scene of accidents or from hospitals throughout the region.
“We’re excited to be able to extend our services to Oregon,” said REACH CEO, Jim Adams. “For some time REACH has been aware of the growing need for local helicopter air ambulance services to the Greater Corvallis Area.”
“REACH will be working in concert with Cal-Ore Life Flight, based in Brookings,Oregon,” added Adams. “Cal-Ore, which has been transporting patients since 1988, currently provides ground and airplane patient transport services.” Having established a collegial relationship, the companies will be able to offer the combined strength of full-spectrum patient transport services: ground, airplane and helicopter medical transport services.
REACH’s new base brings life-saving emergency air transportation to a region that has not had a dedicated air ambulance presence. REACH will assist trauma victims who are far from the region’s emergency facilities. In addition, the new base places a helicopter closer to the hospitals most often requesting a facility-to-facility transfer for patients in need of specialty emergency care.
“We know time is of the essence when it comes to saving lives,” continued Adams. “FromCorvallis, we will be able to help the visitors and citizens of the Mid-Valley area to emergently access the advanced care they may need.”
The new service will be established and available for service in early spring of 2006.
“We are well into the process of State EMS Aircraft licensing and securing medical and aviation crew quarters at the CorvallisAirport,” commented Adams. “We anticipate a Mid-May launch of this vital service.”
About REACH Air Medical Services: REACH Air Medical Services (www.reachairambulance.com) is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and provides helicopter and fixed wing patient transportation for critically ill and injured patients from eight California base locations.
Since REACH’s inception in 1987, the company has performed more than 28,000 air ambulance missions and has developed regional specialties in serving pediatric and neonatal patients. REACH offers a membership program, REACH for LIFE.
REACH was one of the first air transport programs to be fully CAMTS accredited (www.camts.org) and has one of the most aggressive safety programs in the air ambulance industry. REACH was the first air ambulance company to receive FAA approval to respond in low-visibility conditions using established GPS routing procedures. REACH continues to be a leader in air ambulance safety, having installed Night Vision Goggle technology into all of its helicopter aircraft fleet.
REACH is privately owned and operated.
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