CHRISTUS Flight For Life

CHRISTUS Flight For Life is the air ambulance programme of CHRISTUS Health in East Texas. It is a health system programme. Its office address on the site is in Tyler, Texas, and its helicopters fly from four bases.

Services

The site says it has served the region since 1985. Crews care for critically ill and injured adults and children. Cases listed include strokes, heart attacks, major trauma, severe burns, pregnancy emergencies and severe illness in children. It can move patients on Impella and balloon pump devices. Every flight carries whole blood and plasma.

Aircraft and bases

The helicopters fly from bases in Palestine, Longview, Wills Point and Mount Pleasant. The site says it operates three aircraft models and that two bases have IFR aircraft. The clinical team on each flight is a flight nurse and a flight paramedic. The site says aviation and maintenance services are provided by PHI Air Medical.

Coverage area

The site says the bases serve a 150 mile radius.

Equipment on board

The site lists a video laryngoscope for adults, children and newborns, chest tube placement, a mechanical CPR device and a ventilator for adults, children and newborns. It also lists point of care ultrasound, fetal monitoring and a BabyPod for small infants. Crews can keep Impella and LVAD heart devices running during transport.

Other cases

The site also lists mass casualty events, lung emergencies, and poisoning or body chemistry problems that need fast action. Crews carry an IV fluid warmer, tourniquets and special gauze to control bleeding.

Facts

• Run by CHRISTUS Health.
• Operating since 1985, according to the site.
• Both clinicians on each flight hold two national board certifications in critical care, per the site.
• The site mentions a program to help with the cost of emergency transport.