|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Eastern Contra Costa County has a new medical helicopter base at Byron Airport.
The base, named SkyLife 34, is operated by air medical service provider Air Methods. The base mainly serves patients of Kaiser Permanente hospitals across the region, according to Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services director Marshall Bennett.
Once the company’s agreement with the county’s Emergency Medical Services is finalized, the base will also be able to be dispatched within Contra Costa County, Bennett said.
Air Methods describes its helicopters as “hospital-level flying intensive care units,” equipped with healthcare technology and medications. The base is staffed by a flight nurse, flight paramedic, pilot, and on-call aviation mechanic.
According to the company’s website, helicopters are useful in emergencies because of their speed. They also provide services, like sedation, that ground ambulances cannot.
“Each new base enhances our ability to respond quickly, support communities across the region, and ensure patients can reach the specialized care they need,” said Vanessa Hayflich, regional director of Air Methods, in a press release.
SkyLife 34’s team is trained to care for patients suffering from trauma, heart attacks, strokes, difficulties breathing, and complications in childbirth.
Air Methods has 27 other bases in California and serves over 100,000 patients per year, the company said.
Contra Costa County has an existing air medical base at Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, operated by Reach Air.
– Story by Kayla Chan, Bay City News Service
