Haiti Air Ambulance is partnering with Air Methods to bring helicopter EMS service to the poverty-stricken nation on a full-time basis for the first time. Beginning next month, two Air Methods Bell 407s–a primary and a dedicated back-up–will be based at a secure industrial park near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and will be gearing up to fly two missions a day or about 700 hours per year.
Air Methods will assign three pilots and two mechanics, who will rotate in and out of the country. Haiti Air Ambulance (HAA), a New York not-for-profit corporation, is supplying the based medical crews and underwriting all related expenses–estimated at just under $8 million over the first two years–for the entire operation through private donations. Sustained funding is envisioned through anticipated contract work with the United Nations and various private charities and through reimbursement from private insurance. While the Haitian government is cooperating with HAA, it is not providing funding at this time. The medical staff will consist of a medical director, flight nurses and flight paramedics who will be accredited under industry guidelines established by the Commission on Accreditation of Air Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). When not flying, the medical staff will train Haitian EMS responders.
