According to California air ambulance service providers, their service could be at risk due to funding issues. SkyLife Air Ambulance provides their service to patients all over the valley and transports those in need of life-saving medical treatments to hospitals in a quick and efficient manner. Now they’re facing a risk of cutting down their services due to a cut in state funding.
Air Ambulance Service by SkyLife Air Ambulance
According to SkyLife’s rep Lisa Epps, their air ambulance responds to calls on a daily basis, often flying out to rural or remote regions. Their patients are either seriously injured or critically ill. With quick and immediate transportation by SkyLife, these patients stand a better chance of survival.
Doctor Lawrence Sue of Community Regional Medical Center stated that time is crucial when someone’s bleeding. They have to receive treatment at medical facilities before they bleed out. And the helicopters from SkyLife Air Ambulance help solve this issue. When ground air ambulance vehicles can make the trip in 2-3 hours, the helicopters can make the same trip in less than 30 minutes.
State and Federal Efforts Fund The Operations
Their air ambulance service receives part funding from the EMATA or Emergency Medical Air Transportation Act. Under this act, the state collects a fee of $4 on traffic tickets. This generates $8 million, which goes into funding the air ambulance operations in the state. The federal government matches this funding with another $8 million.
Currently, the EMATA faces a risk of non-renewal as it will be expiring this year. If it’s not renewed the SkyLife’s operations will no longer receive funding from the state. Jim Wood, a member of the California State Assembly, is pushing legislation to ensure that the air ambulance funding is renewed.
