REACH Air Medical Services (REACH) plans to open an air medical base in Williams, California, to provide service to Colusa County and the surrounding regions.

“We are incredibly proud to be joining the community of Williams,” says parent company Global Medical Response air chief operating officer Vicky Spediacci. “We look forward to strengthening our service in California's central corridor and providing local hospitals, fire departments and EMS agencies with a dependable partner in patient care.”

Having the new air medical base near a California thoroughfare, Interstate 5, will mean expedited care for patients whose conditions are too critical to go by ground ambulance.

“The location of this base and its proximity to the Mendocino National Forest will be highly beneficial to the residents and visitors of Colusa County,” says Jeff Gilbert, fire chief for Williams Fire Protection Authority. “For many years, the Williams Fire Protection Authority has worked with the teams from REACH and other local air medical providers to assist with scene flights, and we are excited to finally welcome a full time base into our community.”

The Williams base will be staffed by highly trained and experienced pilots, flight nurses and flight paramedics, and it will be maintained by an on-site aviation maintenance technician. The Airbus H125 helicopter operated at this base will be medically configured with the latest avionics and safety features.

REACH is a participating provider in the AirMedCare Network (AMCN), the nation's largest air medical transport membership programme with more than 320 air medical locations across 38 states. Members flown for a life- or limb-threatening injury or illness by an AMCN participating provider pay no costs for the flight; whatever the member's insurance or third-party insurance pays is considered payment in full.