Program Services

EARLY ACTIVATION:

Air Evac Lifeteam established its Early Activation program with county 911 emergency response centers in the interest of reducing the time to deliver a patient in critical condition to definitive care. The program is designed to address those medical conditions where minutes saved in reaching definitive care can mean the difference between life and death. Counties in Air Evac Lifeteam’s service area are establishing a life-saving partnership between the 911 centers and Air Evac Lifeteam’s Operations Center.

Steps in the Early Activation Process:

  • Participating 911 centers notify Air Evac Lifeteam, as well as the local ground ambulance service when an emergency call is received;
  • Emergency medical conditions where Early Activation is indicated:
    • traumatic accident
    • near drowning
    • heart attack or stroke
    • other potentially debilitating and life-threatening conditions
  • Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter and crew are dispatched and on their way to the patient, saving valuable minutes in the process.
  • If the ground EMS unit at the scene determines the patient’s treatment of the medical condition would be better served by air ambulance transport, Air Evac Lifeteam will fly the patient to the closest health care facility that meets the patient’s needs;
  • If the ground EMS unit at the scene determines the patient does not require immediate air transport, Air Evac will return to its base and the ground EMS unit will transport the patient.

911 Center Training

County 911 centers participating in Air Evac Lifeteam’s Early Activation program receive training provided by Air Evac Lifeteam to help 911 center communicators better recognize how to identify medical emergencies that would be best served by air ambulance transport. Communicators are also educated on the protocols for engaging air ambulance service.

Studies have shown that if a person receives medical treatment within an hour of the onset of a critical injury or illness, the chances of having a good recovery are greatly increased. Medical professionals refer to this period of time as “The Golden Hour.” Air Evac Lifeteam’s goal with the Early Activation program is to get the patient to a hospital where the individual can receive critical health care within that “Golden Hour.”