AirCare is staffed with Critical Care Paramedics and Critical Care Nurses. The University of Mississippi Medical Center's helicopter flight program began operations in 1996 with a single helicopter based in Jackson. The Jackson-based AirCare 1 helicopter was joined by the Meridian-based AirCare 2 helicopter in spring 2009, the Golden Triangle-based AirCare 3 in spring 2016, and the Greenwood-based AirCare 4 in fall 2017. The additional helicopters allowed AirCare to expand its mission profile by transporting patients to not only UMMC, but other hospitals able to provide levels of care required by the patient's illness or injury. Scene response profile has also changed, allowing the transportation of multiple patients from a single location. Since the program's inception, AirCare teams have safely transported over 18,000 adults, pediatric and neonatal patients over 2 million miles without any FAA-reportable accidents. The helicopters are unique to the state of Mississippi in that both are operated under single-pilot Instrument Flight Rules-meaning the pilot may be able to complete flight requests in marginal weather conditions. Both aircraft are outfitted with autopilot systems, color-weather radar systems and anti-collision instruments to increase patient and flight team safety and full heating and air-conditioning systems to ensure patient comfort. Night Vision Goggles are used during all night operations. Medical flight crews consist of dedicated flight nurses and flight paramedics and work closely the UMHC's Newborn Transport Team. 100% of the flight nurses hold a minimum of one specialty distinction such as CCRN, CEN or CFRN. The flight paramedics also hold advanced distinctions in areas such as Certified Flight Paramedic and Certified Neonatal-Pediatric Transport. Medical personnel have professional backgrounds ranging from over 25-years of EMS experience, Adult and Pediatric ICU experience and Adult and Pediatric Emergency Department Experience. Two units of O-negative blood are carried aboard all AirCare aircraft. Additional medical capabilities include the initiation and maintenance of peripheral arterial lines, RSI, and capnography monitoring of all intubated patients. Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) bedside ultrasound exam can be done on all trauma patients in flight.
