Spirit Air 2 Goes into service

Spirit Air 2 Goes Into Service

When seconds count, accessing the region’s premier critical care air transport services will be quicker and closer than ever for residents of northern Wisconsin. Ministry Health Care has announced that its new AS350 helicopter ambulance radio call sign “Spirit Air 2” went into service on Friday, May 27—just in time for the start of the Memorial Day weekend. Based at Ministry Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander, this is the first AS350 or A-Star in the Ministry Spirit’s fleet of two aircraft that also includes an EC145 radio call sign “Spirit Air 1.”

The newest helicopter will be the primary response air ambulance for the northern region and response times will be cut in half. “Working with EMS organizations and other health care professionals in northern Wisconsin, we identified a need to reduce transport times for critically ill or injured patients in the region,” says Monty Gallegos, System Director, Ministry Spirit Medical Transportation. “The addition of the northwoods based helicopter will put critical care transport much closer to residents of the area. We like to have the patients to the trauma center in an hour or less, so decreased response times for air medical will definitely benefit the patient and save lives.”

According to Gallegos, the AS350 was the aircraft of choice because it provides the power, reliability, size and advanced technology needed to perform the varied missions and scope.

Ministry Spirit performs a wide variety of missions including inter-hospital transport, education outreach to the EMS community and area schools. Spirit air was the first program in central and northern Wisconsin to operate the EC145. The aircraft is large enough and powerful enough to accommodate all EMS and advanced live saving mission equipment along with a crew of three.

The placement of an additional helicopter in northern Wisconsin will increase aircraft availability, increase the effective range of the service, and reduce the response time. Time is a critical factor in the treatment outcome for trauma, heart attack, and stroke victims. Basing a helicopter in the northwoods will dramatically reduce the time it takes to transport patients to the region’s trauma and specialty referral centers in Marshfield and Weston/Wausau.
Ministry Spirit Medical Transportation has been providing efficient, safe medical transport for nearly 18 years.

Crew photo L-R
Ray Burek, BS, NREMT-P, CCEMTP
Ryan Short, NREMT-P, CCEMTP
David Berube, NREMT-P, CCEMTP, CCP-C
Barb Spinzig, BSN, NREMT-P
Colleen Herda, CCRN, CRFN
Nicole Osterman,BSN, CEN,
Elizabeth Busakowki, BSN, CEN
Not pictured Jimmy Herron, EMT-P, CCEMT-P, CFP




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