Residents in the Golden Triangle will receive quicker medical first-response, emergency airlift services from a University of Mississippi Medical Center team, following a grand opening at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport on Thursday.
The team—UMMC-Jackson AirCare Service—was welcomed to the permanent hanger at Airbus Helicopter headquarters near GTR by over 100 elected officials, medical professionals and first responders.
A temporary facility was opened at GTR on April 1 for the team.
"This new helicopter base represents our commitment to the health and well-being for all Mississippians," said CEO of University Hospitals and Health System Kevin Cook. "We see this expansion of services as an opportunity to continue to build on the relationship between north Mississippi medical providers."
The advanced response medical team has conducted airlift operations from Jackson for 20 years and Meridian for 7 years. The newest addition of AirCare 3 will drastically improve medical care options for residents in north Mississippi, UMMC Emergency Services Medical Director Damon Darsey said.
"We were welcomed with open arms to the Golden Triangle area," Darsey said. "Airbus makes this beautiful aircraft. They opened their arms, their building and talents to us here. Having a base here is big for us."
The AirCare helicopter is outfitted with the standard critical care equipment and medications that most intensive care units have. The aircraft also has some equipment not found at critical care units like ultrasound and advanced medications, according to AirCare Service Meridian-Columbus Base Manager Sam Marshall. The aircraft is also IFR-rated, which lets the chopper fly in inclement weather, a vital asset for AirCare, officials said.
For 11-year-old Abby Williams, the AirCare Meridian team and Marshall's quick response meant the difference between life and death last year. Williams began having seizures in August. UMMC doctors later discovered and removed a brain tumor, but Williams needed to be airlifted again in December following another seizure.
"I think that was really neat how they opened up a new AirCare [facility] for other people to be close to and to have a better chance of [surviving,]" Abby Williams said.
Marshall flew on one of the two flights she was airflited on to UMMC, her mother said.
"Sam and his crew are very wonderful," Melinda Williams said. "They kept me up-to-date on what was going on with Abby. They were able to bring the critical care she needed to her."
The Mathiston family was grateful for the passionate and responsive care they received from AirCare staff.
"It was a comfort knowing they could fly in bad weather," Melinda Williams said. "That had been a problem since Abby had her illness. It gives me a sense of comfort that they could get her in bad weather and get her the critical care on the way. They've been wonderful."
Services provided by the three state teams ranges from immediate trauma assessment and pediatrics to advanced neurology. The teams are 20 years into boasting no Federal Aviation Administration reported flight incidents.
Preliminary flight data from this year shows the glaring need for the critical flight services, Cook said.
"We are already hitting six months projections in terms of the number of flights we are doing," Cook said. "That demonstrates that the need was here before we had the helicopter to this area of the state."
AirCare 3 will partner with first responders, ambulance providers and hospitals in north Mississippi to provide airlift services.