New emergency air transport service comes to Dothan

DOTHAN, AL (WSFA) - A new emergency air transport service has landed in the Wiregrass.

On Wednesday, emergency responders and medical professionals showed off the new aircraft that's expected to improve response times in the region.

When it's a matter of life or death, every second counts. The new Wiregrass Life Flight emergency transport service is expected to provide rapid transportation to Dothan hospitals. If needed, it will fly patients to surrounding areas for care.

"Our goal is to have a skids up time between 7-10 minutes from the time of call to the time in the air responding to patients," said Shanon Pollock, the Vice President of Business Development for the Air Medical Resource Group.

Wiregrass life flight will be working with Pilcher Ambulance Service, area emergency responders, the Southeast Alabama Medical Center and Flowers hospital.

"Just this morning we had a real bad accident right on 231 south, involving an SUV and an eighteen wheeler, which activated the trauma alert, which would've been a great opportunity for that," said Pilcher Ambulance owner and operator, Joey Pilcher.

"We receive trauma patients, chest pain patients and stroke patients and time is so critical. Bringing in the Wiregrass LifeFlight, I think, is going to be so beneficial to the patients in our area that need that efficient quick transport to medical facilities," said  Bruce McNeal, the director of safety and pre-hospital services at Southeast Alabama Medical Center.

There will be one aircraft stationed in Dothan at the Southeast Alabama Medical Center for now, but officials hope to expand in the future.

The price for this new service is over $3 million.
 
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