Designation Helps Get Patients to Hospitals Faster
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ, Dec. 9, 2024 – Patients in central Arizona can now receive emergency air medical care faster thanks to Native Air 4 and 14 in Prescott and Prescott Valley recently obtaining first responder status. This designation allows the pilot to identify a safe place to land the helicopter and enables the medical crew to begin patient care immediately upon arriving. Before receiving this designation, the air medical crew had to remain in the air until first responders on the ground secured a landing zone.
“Seconds can make all the difference in saving a life,” said Flight Paramedic Dani LeMond, who grew up in the area and understands firsthand the importance of such critical resources. “We’re excited to have this important and needed capability to better serve our community.”
This achievement aligns the Native Air crews in Prescott and Prescott Valley with their sister air medical bases in Payson, Cottonwood, and Williams, which achieved their first responder status earlier this year. To obtain first responder status, the Native Air bases had to demonstrate a need, develop a plan to reduce any risk associated with landing a helicopter in an unsecured area, train its pilots and flight crews on how to identify a suitable landing zone, and educate ground crews in the service area on how to approach a scene when an aircraft is already on site.
With many rural areas throughout Arizona, ground first responders often face large service areas that require them to travel long distances. Native Air’s first responder designation helps bridge that gap in emergency care.
“Native Air’s capability to land at the scene before our arrival is an invaluable resource for the community,” said Mayer Fire Department Captain and PIO Rudy Armenta. “This service significantly enhances patient care by providing timely medical attention during critical moments, reducing delays in treatment, and potentially saving lives. Whether it’s a volunteer agency, a fire department, or another first responder agency, partnerships like these are essential for ensuring rapid and effective emergency care in rural settings.
The Native Air crews will still rely on ground responders to secure landing zones when they are unable to locate a safe place to land or when potential hazards need to be cleared. Additionally, the helicopter must still be dispatched through 911 or agency request, and other emergency responders must be en route to the scene. No air medical team is permitted to self-dispatch in any situation.
On every transport, the Native Air team carries blood and can administer it on scene or in flight, if needed, positively increasing patient outcomes. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), Native Air adheres to the industry’s highest standards in safety and clinical excellence and provides lifesaving services without requiring a membership to avoid a costly bill. Air Methods, the parent company of Native Air, is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities they serve and is 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.
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