Black Hills Life Flight announced Monday the relocation of helicopter air ambulances from a base in Hot Springs to the Rapid City Regional Airport.
According to a release from Black Hills Life Flight’s parent company, Air Methods, the move will ensure that residents in the surrounding areas, including across state boarders in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming, have access to air medical services.
The new location will result in quicker response times for emergent and trauma situations.
Darryl Crown of Rapid City, Black Hills Life Flight regional business development manager, said life flight operations had moved from Rapid City to Hot Springs and Spearfish in July of 2018.
With the closure of the Spearfish base earlier this year, all air operations have been centralized in Rapid City, he said.
The decision to relocate life flight assets to Rapid City comes after an extensive review of the local area and its needs, and how Black Hills Life Flight can more efficiently provide that service, a release stated.
With this move, Black Hills Life Flight will operate a rotor wing and fixed wing aircraft in Rapid City staffed with a critical care registered nurse, paramedic and pilot on each transport.
In addition, the team will provide critical care air medical services 24 hours per day, seven days per week and 365 days per year to the area surrounding Rapid City and across state lines.
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