Erlanger Health System's LifeForce helicopters will be anchored at a new hangar at the Cleveland Regional Jetport rather than flying from atop the hospital.
LifeForce I, which has been based in downtown Chattanooga at Erlanger’s main hospital at 975 East Third St., will be relocated permanently to the Cleveland site, 24/7/365, upon the completion of the hangar in January 2016.
Robbie Tester, administrator of LifeForce, said, “A permanent base in Cleveland will allow us to provide faster aero-medical services to Erlanger’s main hospital in downtown Chattanooga for the citizens and visitors in Hamilton County and Bradley County, as well as Meigs, McMinn, Rhea, Sequatchie and Bledsoe Counties.”
The strategic move comes only one month after LifeForce added a fifth helicopter in Middle Tennessee, based at the Winchester Airport. Five aircraft stationed in strategic locations surrounding Chattanooga eliminates the need to launch an aircraft from Erlanger’s downtown hospital to pick up patients, officials said.
. “By stationing aircraft in the field to transport patients to Erlanger in Chattanooga, we can arrive on the scene much more quickly and begin administering critical care to the patient,” Mr. Tester said.
In addition to the Winchester and Cleveland locations, LifeForce operates three other bases throughout the region to serve residents within a 150-mile radius of Chattanooga: Sparta, Tn., and Calhoun and Blue Ridge, Ga.
LifeForce transported more than 2,143 patients during fiscal year 2014-2015.
“The new LifeForce hangar in Cleveland will allow us to arrive on the scene more quickly and transport trauma and seriously ill pediatric and adult patients to Erlanger – the region’s Level 1 Trauma Center,” added Kevin M. Spiegel, Erlanger president and CEO.