Emergency flights are about to become a lot more common over East Tennessee. A new air medical program will base two helicopters in Morristown and Rockwood and start flying in May, aiming to speed up critical transfers for some of the region's sickest and most seriously injured patients. The effort is a partnership between Air Methods and Covenant Health, with each base staffed around the clock by pilots, mechanics, and Covenant clinicians. Crews will carry specialized gear and whole blood for in-flight transfusions to support patients with severe trauma or complex cardiac emergencies.
What the Bases Will House and Who Will Staff Them
Each base will operate an Airbus H135 helicopter and run 24/7 with Air Methods pilots and mechanics working alongside Covenant Health clinicians, according to Air Methods. The H135 is equipped with a crashworthy fuel system, energy-absorbing seating, and redundant flight controls, all intended to cut risk when flying in tough conditions. Air Methods says the aircraft and staffing model are built to handle both on-scene trauma calls and complex transfers between hospitals across the region.
"By partnering with Covenant Health, we are strengthening our ability to deliver timely, high-quality care when minutes matter most," Brandon Ryan, Air Methods' vice president of business development, said in the release. The aircraft will be configured to carry baby pods for neonatal transfers and advanced cardiac support tools such as Impella catheters, intra-aortic balloon pumps, and ZOLL AutoPulse NXT devices, and crews will have whole blood on board for patients at risk of hemorrhagic shock, per Air Methods.
Why It Matters for Rural Patients
Large stretches of East Tennessee are rural, which can mean long road trips to reach trauma centers. Local EMS leaders have been pushing for more resources and stronger legislative support for emergency services in recent sessions, according to the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association. Programs that carry whole blood in flight have been used in other regions to improve survival for patients in hemorrhagic shock, highlighting why the capability Air Methods plans to deploy could be a big deal for rural trauma care, as seen in similar efforts noted by Atlantic Health.
Local Rollout and What to Expect
The program is expected to be up and running in May. Air Methods and Covenant Health say they will coordinate with hospitals and first responders to plug the new helicopters into existing 911 and transfer systems, as reported by WBIR. Job postings for pilots and mechanics in Morristown and Rockwood point to a local hiring push ahead of launch, with listings appearing on ZipRecruiter.
Officials have not yet released exact base addresses or details on any community kickoff events. Those specifics are expected to roll out as the teams finalize operations and lock in landing zones with local agencies. For now, residents and first responders in Morristown, Rockwood, and neighboring counties can prepare for something they are not likely to complain about seeing overhead more often: faster access to advanced critical care once the program begins flights in May.
