Air Ambulance

1) Do I need to be a Cal-Ore LifeFlight member to use your services?
2) How do I arrange an air ambulance transfer?
3) Who arranges the ground transportation to and from the aircraft?
4) What type of aircraft do you use?
5) Can the patient's family members go with the patient in the air ambulance?
6) What kinds of patients are you equipped to transport?
7) Who do you use as flight staff?
8) What type of special training does your flight staff receive?
9) "Intensive Care in the Air?"

Back to Top

2) How do I arrange an air ambulance transfer?
Air ambulance transfers are easily arranged. The transferring facility contacts a Cal-Ore Life Flight flight coordinator, who is available by pager 24 hours a day. Our 24-hour dispatch number is (800) 705-1728.

The flight coordinator will return your call within 5 minutes, under most circumstances. After obtaining the data needed regarding the flight, the coordinator will contact the pilot and arrange for the appropriate flight crew. Once this is in place, the flight coordinator will contact you with an estimated arrival time. At Sutter Coast Hospital, this is usually within 20-30 minutes. At Gold Beach and Eureka facilities, the response will be longer due to flight time to the point of pick-up, but can usually be done within an hour of the first call.

Back to Top

3) Who arranges the ground transportation to and from the aircraft?
We do. Once you call us, we set up and confirm all the ground transportation, from the transferring facility to the airport and from the destination airport to the receiving facility.

Back to Top

4) What type of aircraft do you use? We operate Piper Cheyennes, twin-engine, turbine powered, jet-props, and Cessna 421 Golden Eagles, turbo-charged, twin-engine aircraft. These aircraft are equipped to fly in all weather we experience on the Pacific coast. They are also pressurized to minimize the effects of altitude on critically ill patients who may suffer in a non-pressurized craft, such as a helicopter.

Back to Top

5) Can the patient's family members go with the patient in the air ambulance?
Whenever possible, we try to allow ONE family member to accomodate the patient. However, there are many variables that enter into this decision, so it is made on a case-by-case basis.

Back to Top

6) What kinds of patients are you equipped to transport?
We are equipped and trained to transport all types of patients both as planned transports and emergent ill transports, including adults, children, and high risk obstetrical patients. The only type of transport we currently do not staff for is neonatal transports and critically ill pediatric patients.

Back to Top

7) Who do you use as flight staff?
Cal-Ore Life Flight uses experienced nurses, respiratory therapists and paramedics from its home communities. Every flight is staffed by a crew of 3 - a pilot and two aeromedical crew members, one of whom is an experienced critical care RN. The staffing for each flight is tailored for each patient's needs by the flight coordinator.

Back to Top

8) What type of special training does your flight staff receive?
Cal-Ore Life Flight takes pride in the fact that it has an active continuing education department that provides 50 continuing education hours yearly for all flight crew members. Topics include: FAA regulations and flight safety, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Airway Management, Flight Physiology, Trauma, High Risk Obstetrical Patients, Neonatal Resuscitation, and Pediatric Trauma and Advanced Life Support. Cal-Ore Life Flight also provides opportunities for its nurses to attend regional and national conferences to ensure our practice meets national standards.

Back to Top

9) "Intensive Care in the Air?"
At Cal-Ore Life Flight, we take pride in the fact that our aircraft are staffed and equipped as airborne intensive care units that can handle most critical transport needs.

Back to Top

If you have any other questions or concerns, please e-mail or call us and we will be happy to assist you.