Lee board to further discuss air-lift services

LEESBURG — When Lee County commissioners meet today, they will further consider partnering with a company providing air evacuation services. The company provides trauma and emergency air-lift services to the nearest burn and trauma centers.

According to Chase Lott, a representative for Air Evac Lifeteam, lives could be saved in emergency situations because the air-lift service can get to these specialty centers in about one-third the time it takes to transport a patient by ground transportation.

During a recent presentation to the Lee County Board of Commissioners, Lott informed board members that the time to get from Lee County to the trauma center in Macon by ground transport is about 1 1/2 hours, while the air transport service can make the same trip in 38 minutes. To get to the closest burn center in Augusta would take three hours and 45 minutes by ambulance but only 75 minutes by air.

Air Evac Lifeteam was established in 1985 in West Plains, Mo. According to the company’s website, the goal was to provide air medical transportation and to ensure access to emergency health care for their remote community in the Missouri Ozark region. Although air ambulances were primarily based in metropolitan areas at the time, company founders believed that the people who needed air medical transport the most were those living in rural areas, often far away from a hospital.

Over the past 30 years of operation, Air Evac Lifeteam has grown to 130 bases serving 15 states. Air Evac has 11 helicopters in Georgia.

During his presentation to county commissioners last month, Lott said that Air Evac team members are currently stationed within 13 miles of Lee County at the Phoebe facility in Sumter County. Lott also said that Lee County Fire and Emergency Service employees are already getting training from Air Evac Lifeteam at no cost to the county.

Commissioners are expected to further consider details of a proposed partnership with Air Evac and could potentially vote on the air-lift service later this month.

Lee officials will also discuss applicants to fill vacancies on the Lee County Housing Authority Board and on the Lee County Community Foundation Board at tonight’s meeting.