Air Evac Lifeteam hosted a ribbon cutting in conjunction with the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and Liberty Regional Medical Center on Oct. 30 at 462 E.G. Miles Parkway in Hinesville.

Program Director Donald Mixon welcomed staff, family, friends, chamber members and people from the community to the event.
Air Evac is a private company that provides helicopter services to the emergency-management service system and hospitals within a 70-mile radius of the base and beyond.

The company’s new base was fully operational Sept. 27 beside the helipad on the Wayne Memorial Hospital campus.

“We are a supplement to the great care of the hospital,” Mixon said. “We specialize in getting a patient from point A to point B as quick as possible. We look forward to getting out and working with the community.”

Air Evac started in 1985 in West Plains, Mo., when a nearby group of retired military helicopter personnel decided to do something about a series of auto-accident victims who died on the way to a trauma center by ambulance. Air Evac has 110 bases from Texas to New York, serving the rural areas where the need is greatest.

“This is a great time to be here,” Mayor James Thomas Jr. said. “We are a growing city and need this type of service in our community. On behalf of the city, city council, hospital authority, we welcome you.”

“On behalf of the chamber I would like to welcome you,” chamber board member Joe Ford said. If there is anything we can do for you, feel free to contact any member of the chamber.”