The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation and Life Flight Network have reached an agreement to operate an air ambulance on Hawaii island.
“This partnership marks a significant step forward in enhancing emergency medical services,” Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said this week in a news release. “This is an amazing opportunity that will add life-saving capacity across our island, especially in our rural areas.
“We want to mahalo the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation for their immense contributions to public safety on Hawaii island, and we welcome Life Flight Network as an important partner for emergency response.”
The foundation and Life Flight Network recently announced the signing of a letter of intent to expand air medical services in Hawaii.
To support this initiative, the foundation purchased a twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopter with donations from philanthropists for Hawaii’s health care needs. The helicopter, which will be configured as an air ambulance, is currently being manufactured.
The air ambulance will provide critical-care transport to Oahu from any district on the island, county officials said.
“The need for emergency air medical transport is constant, and every second counts in a crisis,” Laura Mallery-Sayre, executive director of the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, said in the release. “The primary mission of both our non- profits is to save lives.
“This partnership is about expanding resources to ensure communities across Hawaii island have access to lifesaving care whenever and wherever it’s needed,” she said.
According to the county’s news release, the Airbus H145 is designed for rapid response and offers a spacious cabin optimized for critical care transport. Life Flight Network is the nation’s largest not-for-profit air medical provider and has provided ICU-level care and transport to the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West for 47 years, the release said.
“We are honored to have been selected by the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation to help strengthen Hawaii’s air medical services and contribute to lives saved,” said Ben Clayton, chief executive officer at Life Flight Network.
