Arizona Department of Public Safety Cost Cutting Move Buffered by Industry Leader, Air Evac

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Air Evac, a service of PHI Air Medical, announced that it will be able to support communities across the state which are impacted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s announcement that it will cease providing helicopter rescue services from 10pm until 6am. The company will be able to provide the same high quality air ambulance services without, in most cases, increased time delays to a scene and no financial cost to the community. Air Evac will not conduct rescue missions or law enforcement-related calls, although, as in the past, they will work to support local law enforcement officials in those efforts if requested.

Operating out of 18 bases in Arizona with more than 18 helicopters and 3 fixed wing aircraft, Air Evac is uniquely positioned to provide air medical care across the state. More importantly, Air Evac is the only air medical provider in the state to have the world’s newest generation Night Vision Goggle technology on every aircraft.

“For 40 years, we have worked to provide critical services to our local community with the most professional and compassionate individuals in the industry,” explained Paul Julander, Air Evac Program Director. “We have been a leader and we have also worked side by side with other public service organizations to fill-in gaps in care and service. Because of how we are positioned, we are able to provide the highest level of care, the best technology and the finest professionals even in times of great economic stress.”

With budgetary shortfalls caused by a weakened national and local economy, the Arizona Department of Public Safety along with other public entities are and will continue to be forced to make difficult decisions between programs and community needs. While both not for profit and for profit organizations alike are burdened in a difficult economic climate, Air Evac, by way of its parent organization, PHI, Inc., is carefully positioned to not only weather challenging times but to provide support and resources to critical community partners.

Air Evac does not cause a financial burden to taxpayers or economically strapped communities, thereby allowing a community’s limited public dollars to be allocated where they are required most. Air Evac is compensated for its flights from insurance, membership programs and patient reimbursement. The company is recognized as implementing the most fair and compassionate collection policy in the nation.

“Unfortunately, today, communities and local agencies are challenged with a difficult balancing act. While we are able to fill-in for many of the critical services they provide, we are truly sympathetic to their situation and are honored to be in a position to help and ensure that our communities do not miss the vital services they are accustomed to receiving,” continued Julander.

NVG Technology

Of the more than 9,000 missions safely flown by Air Evac each year, nearly half are night flights. Air Evac is the only air medical company in the state to employ the technology in all helicopters. The NVG technology is the same that is currently used by the US Military.

It is widely accepted in the air medical field that the use of NVGs provides significant benefit to the pilot. Benefits include: more efficient navigation, a greater ability to identify hazards, and a heightened ability to locate the horizon and mountainous terrain. Across the industry, cost and proper training required for effective implementation are cited as the major barriers to entry for most companies hoping to incorporate the most advanced NVG technology.

Air Evac utilizes the technology for missions of search as well as community support. Air Evac pilots used NVGs in the last year to spot injured hikers (who were equipped with only a flashlight).

Safety Measures at PHI Air Medical

The NVG program is one of the many safety measures that Air Evac and PHI Air Medical have implemented. The organization is the only air medical provider to be awarded the prestigious Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award. The award recognizes one company in the air medical industry who has embodied the goal of flight safety. PHI Air Medical was recognized for its groundbreaking efforts in developing the comprehensive Enhanced Operational Control system.

PHI’s commitment to safety is interwoven through the organization – and is demonstrated in the standards set for employment, culture, training and maintenance. Its Communications Centers in Phoenix and Lafayette, which house technology, on-ground pilot support and satellite tracking of all flights, are regarded as among the finest and most advanced in the world. The organization continues to lead the industry in the development and implementation of safety measures, protocols and emerging technologies.

About Air Evac

For nearly 40 years, Air Evac Services, Inc. has provided quality air medical transportation to Arizona and the southwestern United States. Air Evac became a business unit of PHI in 1998. Air Evac is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), the national standard for quality.

About PHI Air Medical

PHI Air Medical, Inc. is a business unit of PHI, Inc., the world leader in rotary flight for over fifty years and provides support for many of the nation’s leading health care organizations. PHI pilots have recorded more than 10 million flight hours, in virtually every type of terrain known and safely transport more than 30,000 patients each year. Single helicopters or fleets are provided to customers and capabilities range from hospital-based programs to the total EMS transportation system of Air Evac. PHI Air Medical headquarters are located in Phoenix, Arizona with 18 bases across the state and more than 70 across the country.