Trinity Emergency Services is excited to announce a partnership with UnityPoint Health – LifeFlight based in Des Moines. Beginning early May, a LifeFlight expansion base will reside in Fort Dodge providing air ambulance services 24/7 to the Trinity Regional Medical Center region. The new LifeFlight base will allow Trinity to provide improved emergency transportation services to the north central area of Iowa.

“We are very pleased to be expanding our LifeFlight program with a second helicopter based at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge,” said Eric Crowell, president and CEO of UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. “By working together, we are able to provide individuals throughout north central Iowa with even more advanced medical care in emergency situations when moments matter most.”

For several decades, LifeFlight has provided air ambulance services from Trinity to Des Moines for critically ill or injured patients needing a higher level of care. Now with the expansion base, Trinity will be able to extend those same services to critical access hospitals and area emergency medical service (EMS) agencies in the region. While LifeFlight is not a replacement for existing ground emergency medical services, its purpose is to provide prompt emergency response and transport for patients requiring specialized medical facilities.

“We are excited about the partnership with UnityPoint Health – LifeFlight. Basing an air ambulance service at Trinity provides a tremendous benefit to our community and region,” states Troy Martens, COO of Trinity Regional Medical Center. “By having LifeFlight services available at all times Trinity can significantly reduce the transportation time for critically ill patients, which can have a significant impact on patient outcomes.”

The program will add an additional eight full-time employees to the area. The positions open are for the following: pilots, nurses, paramedics and an aircraft mechanic. LifeFlight’s medical personnel are trained in critical care, advanced life support, pediatric care and advanced airway management.