Metro Life Flight to Expand Coverage in Wayne County
The MetroHealth System will expand the life-saving services of its Metro Life Flight helicopter in north-central Ohio this summer.
A Metro Life Flight helicopter will now be based around the clock at Wayne County Airport beginning July 5. This 24/7 service will help reduce travel time when transporting patients from Wayne County and surrounding areas -- such as Wooster, Orrville, Ashland, Canton and many other locations -- to the appropriate health care facility.
“This move will save lives. It allows MetroHealth to offer its world-class emergency care to more people across Ohio,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE. “We’re honored to partner with the first responders in Wayne County to offer this service.”
Kidron Fire Chief Jon Peters said: “We are excited about having 24/7 helicopter coverage. This is a win for Wayne County residents.”
Metro Life Flight currently transports nearly 4,000 patients a year, or more than 10 patients a day, with emergency medical services 24/7/365 in Northeast Ohio.
The three Metro Life Flight helicopters are staffed with a four-person crew consisting of two pilots, one flight nurse and one physician or nurse practitioner.
Metro Life Flight was the first air medical program in Northeast Ohio. The program was started in 1982 in order to quickly transport critically sick and injured patients to the nearest and most appropriate facility. Transports typically include trauma, strokes, pediatric emergency or other medical emergency.
The yellow and blue EC-145 helicopters used by Metro Life Flight are designed so the medical team can provide the highest level of care to patients during flight, including having immediate access to emergency blood products, ultrasound, and the ability to perform advanced procedures. The EC-145 is equipped with the latest avionics and safety equipment and exceeds all Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board recommendations for the Helicopter EMS industry.
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
