Helicopter EMS
CareFlite's flagship is its helicopter service. Established in 1979 with one helicopter shared
between two hospitals, CareFlite now operates five helicopter bases at Harris Methodist Fort Worth
Hospital, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Denton Regional Hospital, the Frisco Fire Department,
and the Granbury Municiple Airport. Over 75,000 patients have been airlifted by CareFlite since 1979. All
CareFlite helicopters have two engines for added safety. Plus CareFlite is the only service in north
central Texas that operates under instrument flight rules during times of bad weather. This permits the
rapid transport of patients to critical care facilities despite the weather. Only CareFlite has commissioned
seventeen (17) new instrument approaches to hospital helipads throughout the Metroplex. CareFlite's helicopters
serve more than 100 counties within a
150-mile radius of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
Each helicopter crew includes:
- An Airline Transport Pilot with thousands of hours of flight experience
- A registered nurse with a minimum of five years critical care and/or emergency nursing experience
- A paramedic with at least four years of progressive 911 experience
All medical crewmembers are trained in trauma, cardiac, neonatal, obstetrics, pediatrics, and burn care, as well
as lab proficiency skills. Minimum certifications are Advanced Cardiac Live Support (ACLS), Basic Trauma Life Support
(BTLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Neonatal Resuscitation Provider (NRP).
Safe operations in and around the helicopter are essential, so
CareFlite offers Landing Zone (LZ) Safety courses to its partners in the field. To schedule an LZ class,
email LandingZone@careflite.org or call
972-369-3493.