Month: May 2023

UMASS LifeFlight opens base at Fitchburg Municipal Airport

Posted on by rwbuck
Fitchburg, MA – April 5, 2023 – Providing decades of service throughout the Nation, Air Methods—the leading air medical service provider in the U.S.—is thrilled to announce a new location providing critical emergency air medical service to northern Worcester County and beyond. The base will be located at Fitchburg Municipal Airport. The City of Fitchburg recognizes the importance of fast, reliable air medical services in the event of an emergency.

“We value the partnership we’ve established with Air Methods,” said Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale. “We know in emergent situations Air Methods’ local air medical program is ready to answer the call and provide the highest level of critical care to our residents and visitors.”

The new base offers the community access to critical lifesaving services 24/7/365, responding to emergency medical and trauma events including heart attacks and strokes, pediatric emergencies, burns, and other incidents. Additionally, the team provides critical interfacility transports when patients need to move between hospitals for specialized care. Equipped with industry-leading equipment and medical devices, the team carries and has the ability to administer blood in flight, provide advanced airway intervention; cardiac and blood flow monitoring; ventilator management; medication administration and titration (monitoring potential side effects); and other advanced surgical procedures—essentially bringing in-flight emergency and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capabilities directly to the patient’s side.  

By establishing a partnership with the City of Fitchburg, Air Methods is positioned to not only improve access to emergency services but improve response times. Additionally, as a community-centered service, this investment positively impacts the local economy.

“In addition to a flying emergency department and ICU, our goal is to invest in the communities we serve by providing an economic footprint that includes rent, fuel, food, hotels, and adding numerous fulltime positions,” said Air Methods’ Vice President of Customer Experience Steve Konold.

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all residents and visitors of the communities they serve.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Mayor DiNatale, the Airport Commission, and Airport Manager Peter Kettle on this lifesaving investment. This strategic location will ensure our ability to help treat and transport critically ill and injured patients when minutes matter most,” said Konold.