Mercy Life Line Air Medical Service

Mercy Life Line is the air medical helicopter service of Mercy in Springfield, Missouri, United States. It is a hospital programme. The site says it has flown emergency patients since 1984.

Services

Crews answer life threatening emergencies such as trauma, medical and pregnancy problems. They go to accident scenes, where a ground unit helps the crew, or to hospitals to move a critically ill patient. Special services include newborn transport and balloon pump patients.

Aircraft and crew

The service operates five H135P2+ twin engine helicopters. They can fly under instrument flight rules with one pilot, and the site says this is the only programme of its kind in the region. Features include satellite weather, night vision goggles, weather radar, autopilot and a terrain warning system.

Mercy also built its own navigation system for private airspace, so pilots can land at selected hospitals in weather that would otherwise stop flights. Each crew has a registered nurse, a paramedic and a pilot.

Coverage area

The site says Life Line serves patients in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The team also includes physicians, flight communication specialists, mechanics and support staff. Crews work with referring hospitals and EMS partners across the area.

Facts

• Type: hospital programme of Mercy
• Operator: Metro Aviation flies and controls all aircraft, as the site states
• Accreditation: CAMTS since 2006, current term from April 2024 until April 2027
• Membership: the site offers a Life Line membership programme