SignalsAZ.com Prescott News Podcast - Native Air in Prescott, Prescott Valley Receive First Responder Status

Starting point is 00:00:00 Text to Speech audio articles made possible by the Quest Grant at Yavapai College. Tuition-free industry recognized certificates for your career. 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 arrival. Before receiving this designation, the Air Medical Crew, had to remain in the air until first responders on the ground secured a landing zone.

Starting point is 00:00:36 Seconds can make all the difference in saving a life, said flight paramedic Danny Lamond, 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 serve our community better. 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

Starting point is 00:01:14 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 response 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 Meyer Fire Department Captain and P.O. 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,

Starting point is 00:01:55 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 on 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 the scene or in flight, if needed, positively increasing patient outcomes. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems,

Starting point is 00:02:36 Cance, Native Air Adheres to the industry's highest standards and safety and clinical excellence and provides life-saving 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. Stay well with more mind-body soul on signals a.com. Be in the know with the F1RSD 2-No Ultimate Holiday Guide.

SignalsAZ.com Prescott News Podcast - Native Air in Prescott, Prescott Valley Receive First Responder Status

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