New ARH custom aircraft ready for liftoff

CHAVIES, Ky. (WYMT) - A project 20 years in the making is now lifting off and ready to take flight.

Air Evac Lifeteam and Appalachian Regional Healthcare collaborated to provide a medically-equipped helicopter located at Wendell H. Ford Airport in Hazard.

“It is a top priority of to provide quick and excellent emergency care for the Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia residents,” the president of ARH, Hollie Phillips, said in a statement.

With emergency medical staff shortages, regional director of the Air Evac Lifeteam, Janie Ward, wanted to find more ways to help the community.

“After all the floods, that was a big wake up call for us,” Ward said.

Through their ongoing partnership with ARH dating back to 2003, Air Evac was able to provide a customized helicopter in Perry County.

According to Ward, the 407 GXi cruise speed is roughly 140 miles per hour and can travel anywhere in Perry County in about 15 minutes.

“When you have a traumatic accident or when you need some specialized care, it takes a while to get there,” Ward said. “Time is brain, time is heart muscle so these aircrafts get patients from these rural communities to that definitive care much more quickly than you can on some of these winding country roads.”

On Thursday, Air Evac Lifeteam also received verification from the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services for their aircraft in London to begin providing service.

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