Mercy Air is opening a new fixed wing air medical base, Mercy Air 51, in North Las Vegas, Nevada. A newly-stationed aircraft adds to the programme's rotor wing ecosystem in neighbouring Henderson, Pahrump and Mesquite, transporting patients across Nevada, Arizona, parts of California and Utah. The programme is part of Air Methods, the nation's leading air medical service provider.

The Pilatus PC-12 aircraft allows Mercy Air's critical care clinicians to serve patients needing to travel further distances for definitive care and also allows them to transport patients in a wider range of weather conditions.

“Rapid and reliable emergency medical transport is not just a necessity, it's a lifeline that can mean the difference between life and death, especially in rural areas,” says Alicia Davis, 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.”

Mercy Air 51 provides emergency air medical services and critical interfacility transports across the state and beyond. Its highly trained flight nurses and paramedics are equipped to transport trauma, stroke, cardiac, paediatric, high-risk obstetrics and other patients with a wide variety of critical care needs. They also carry whole blood that can be administered in-flight for patients suffering significant blood loss and at risk for haemorrhagic 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,” states Brandon Miles, account executive with Air Methods. “People living in rural parts of the state or in the surrounding states may be more than an hour's drive from the Level I trauma centre in Las Vegas. There is an increasing demand for air medical services to ensure that patients have access to the critical care they need.”

The base will hold a grand opening celebration event in mid September.

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 programme works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability without a pre-paid air medical membership.