Take Flight - Enloe FlightCare Program

 Foundation Dinner October 16 6 PM - No Meeting Monday October 14

Marty Marshal and Joleen Francis explain Take Fight program at Enloe Flightcare, Chico

Enloe FlightCare Flying at the Speed of Life

You probably don’t give much thought to Enloe FlghtCare unless you or a family member suddenly has a medical emergency and needs to be transported to Enloe or another regional hospital for specialized emergency treatment.  In those instances it is good to know the service is available and has been since 1985 and Rotary speaker Marty Marshall, Director of Emergency Services and Program Director of FlightCare has been part of the program from the beginning. 

Enloe FlightCare was the first air-ambulance service north of Sacramento.  It grew out of a need to rapidly transport patients from growing mountain communities to its base hospital, Enloe Hospital, a a Level II trauma center. The service responds to an average of three calls per day within a 75-mile radius of Enloe in counties that include Butte, Tehema, Glenn, Plumas, Colusa, Sierra, Yuba and parts of Lassen.  The program has transported more than 16,000 patients since its inauguration.

It received 3-year accreditation in 2008 and 2011 from the Commission on Accreditation of Air Medical Transport which recognized FlightCare for providing “highly skilled flight nurse/paramedic teams to care for adult and pediatric patients.”

FlightCare currently operates an AS-350 A-Star helicopter equipped with emergency equipment necessary to provide inflight care for critical patients.  There has been only one fatal accident in the history of the service in Butte Meadows as a result of weather conditions.  The pilot was killed and the crew seriously injured.  It was one of the first three air medical programs in the country to be fully certified with the FAA to use night-vision goggles.  Now almost every such program uses these goggles.

The current aircraft is approaching a milestone date in its operational life which would require a complete teardown, inspection and possible upgrades costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and taking the helicopter out of service for several months.  In the meantime another helicopter would have to be leased.  In May 2012, the Enloe Board of Trustees voted to upgrade to a newer EC 130 Ecostar which will position FlightCare for several decades.  The EcoStar features enhanced operational safety features and increased versatility.  It has a larger cabin allowing caregivers easier access to patients in-flight as well as more space for equipment and technology to provide even better treatment. For all you folks who live near PDH, the new aircraft will be significantly quieter.  The Board has also ordered a dedicated Neonatal Isolette for transporting babies.

The cost of the helicopter and isolette is $3,500,000.  But no operating funds will be used for the purchase.  The Enloe Foundation has pledged $1,000,000 while the sale of the current aircraft will net $1,500,000.  The rest will come from donations.   

Marty and Jolene Francis, Enloe Director  of Advancement also encouraged Rotarians to enroll in the FlightCare Services program which enables its members to take advantage of the service should they need it without incurring the full price of an air ambulance transport which can cost thousands of dollars.  The annual cost is $40 per individual or $50 per family.  Or you can become part of a group of eight or more and pay just $30 per year.  And the transportation service is not limited to Enloe, thanks to reciprocal agreements with other regional air-ambulance services.  You can find out more by calling .