Residents in the Golden Triangle will now receive quicker first response, emergency airlift services from a University of Mississippi Medical Center team.
The helicopter airlift team—UMMC-Jackson Air Care Service—now has a temporary hanger at Golden Triangle Regional Airport.
"We are bringing the medical center to the patient versus a lot of programs focus on quick responses," said Sam Marshall of ACS. "We try to bring our academic, level one trauma unit to provide whatever needs to be done so that when we get back, there's nothing left for the care unit on the ground to do."
Airport staff will build a permanent hanger for the new medical team to fit its growing needs, GTR Executive Director Mike Hainsey said.
"UMMC did analysis and they'd been flying up here a lot and this area is underserved for medical helicopters," Hainsey said.
After conducting research, placing a team at GTR cuts down on the commute time each aircraft flies en route to locations significantly.
"For GTR, we are glad to have this service and house these people," Hainsey said.
ACS will cater to the surrounding area to medical centers in Tupelo and Meridian, not only Jackson.
The North Mississippi Medical Center Flight Service is located at George M. Bryan Airport in Starkville. Care Flight Service also serves the area.
ACS aircraft are IFR-rated to fly in a wide range of weather conditions, Hainsey said.
"Our aircrafts are outfitted with the standard critical care equipment and medications that most intensive care units have," Marshall said. "But we also have equipment that some ICU's in the state don't have. We have ultrasound on the aircraft. We carry advanced medications as well."
A West Point native, the addition of services provides a needed base in northern Mississippi, he said.
"The improvement for our community is incredible," Hainsey said. "They customize their helicopter for what each call asks for."
The team hopes to build an emergency response center at GTR in the future.
"It's a tremendous improvement of healthcare services being offered," Hainsey said.