Med-Trans Bases First Air Ambulance Helicopter in Baldwin County, AL

Med-Trans Corporation, a national air medical transport provider, bases a Bell 407 GPX air ambulance helicopter in Baldwin County, AL, in partnership with Medstar Emergency Medical Services. Flying with the name Medstar Air Care 1, Medstar EMS provides paramedics for the crews, while Med-Trans provides the helicopter, pilots and nurses.

Medstar EMS is owned and operated by Lifeguard Ambulance Service, which transports patients via ground ambulance from multiple bases in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Both Lifeguard and Med-Trans are part of Air Medical Group Holdings, Inc., a provider of air and ground ambulance programs throughout the U.S.

"Med-Trans is very pleased to be able to place and operate the first Baldwin County-based air medical helicopter, which will improve critical care transports in the area," says Med-Trans president, Rob Hamilton. "With this multimillion dollar investment, we look forward to continuing to effectively serve the region with Medstar EMS."

"This is an exhilarating time for Baldwin County and the surrounding communities," says Medstar EMS chief, Mike Sandell. "By establishing an integrated partnership between ground and air emergency medical services, the transition and continuity of care becomes more seamless and smoother for the patient."

The new community resource will provide quicker access to severely injured and critical care patients needing airlift to the hospital. "I am very proud to be a part of this new opportunity," says Chad Jones, program manager for Medstar Air Care 1. "We are committed to providing this community with the highest level of patient care, and we believe the partnership between air and ground can elevate the level of service by creating a one-team approach through coordinated training and other joint initiatives."

Initially, the Medstar Air Care 1 helicopter will be based at the Stapleton Fire Station in the northern part of the county. It will service area towns and also be accessible within a matter of minutes to some coastal Alabama communities.