Air-Evac opens new base in Decatur County

PARSONS, Tenn. — In one West Tennessee county there is only one hospital, and transport to bigger cities could take more than an hour.

Now there is a new way to get emergency care in half the time.

Air-Evac Lifeteam opened up a new base Thursday in Parsons to provide quicker care to patients when seconds count.

Many Decatur County residents came out to the base at the old airport to celebrate the launch of the new service.

Decatur County Mayor Mike Creasy was one of them.

“It’s huge for Decatur County,” he said. “It’s a really good thing, because we have struggled to keep our hospital open as many other rural places in Tennessee has.”

This is the 13th base with Air-Evac that has opened in Tennessee, and there are now more than 100 across the country.

Deputy director of Decatur County EMS Andrew Sparks said having this vital service is crucial in rural communities.

“I think that’s why they do come to rural a lot more, to serve the rural communities because they don’t have the quick response and care like other places do,” he said.

Senior program director Glynn Mooney said the aircraft can transport to Memphis, Nashville and slightly beyond.

He estimates the helicopter transport takes about 15 minutes to get to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

“That 45-minute time saving that we can provide for is crucial for heart and stroke patients and other trauma-related injuries,” he said.

An Air-Evac Lifeteam crew, which includes a nurse, paramedic and pilot, will be on call at the base 24/7.

Decatur County EMS medical director Dr. James Fisette has been with the EMS for nearly 12 years and said he has witnessed first-hand the benefits of having Air-Evac service.

“Having this asset available from the initial 911 call up to the doctor transporting  is a way of increasing medical care in our community,” he said.

Air-Evac already has had its first flight from the new Decatur County base.

For $65 per household, people can sign up for a yearly membership with Air-Evac.

For members, the company will pick up the bill for what a person’s insurance doesn’t pay for.