Fort Morgan, Colo. (May 31, 2024) – On Friday, May 31, 2024, CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region celebrated the new Flight For Life® Colorado base out of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Morgan, Colorado, with a dedication and blessing of the helicopter and crew of Lifeguard 6.
Joined by hospital and community leaders, the ceremony took place on the St. Elizabeth Hospital campus and was led by Program Director of Flight For Life® Colorado, Kathleen Mayer and St. Elizabeth Chief Executive Officer, Josh Neff.
“Two years ago, we stood here in a similar fashion to introduce CommonSpirit as a ministry to northeastern Colorado and vowed to take care of each and every person in the counties that we serve,” said Josh Neff, CEO for St. Elizabeth Hospital. “We promised to bring improved access and level of care to this part of the state and today we’re fulfilling that promise as we welcome Flight For Life® to this community.”
Flight For Life® currently operates out of Denver, Frisco, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Durango and now, Fort Morgan to transport patients to the most appropriate hospital, operating within the Colorado trauma system rules for trauma patients. In addition to general transport, Flight For Life® will also offer residents of Morgan and surrounding counties the following unique capabilities:
- Whole blood to transfuse for patients with hemorrhage
- Cardiac life-sustaining technology including Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA), intra-aortic balloon pumps, Impella ventricular assist device and ECMO heart and lung assist
- High-risk obstetrical care
- Pediatric critical care
“This is the first new base that Flight For Life® has had since the opening of our Durango base in 2011, 13 years ago,” said Kathleen Mayer, Program Director of Flight For Life® Colorado. “It’s time for our program to grow again and for us to be able to offer to nurses, paramedics, pilots and mechanics the extraordinary opportunity to come and work for Flight For Life®. We know in Fort Morgan there are patients that will need our skills and speed to be delivered quickly and safely to the care that they need. We’re proud to be able to provide this care to the residents of Fort Morgan and surrounding communities.”
Available 24 hours a day, Flight For Life® Colorado may be requested by a physician, hospital, ambulance service, fire department, law enforcement agency, ski patrol or search and rescue group. The helicopters operate within a 150-mile radius of Denver Metro, the central Rockies, and the regions surrounding Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Durango, northern New Mexico, southeastern Utah, and northeast Colorado.
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Inspired by faith. Driven by innovation. Powered by humankindness. CommonSpirit Health is building a healthier future for all through its integrated health services. As one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, CommonSpirit Health delivers more than 20 million patient encounters annually through more than 2,300 clinics, care sites and 137 hospital-based locations, in addition to its home-based services and virtual care offerings. CommonSpirit has more than 155,000 employees, 45,000 nurses and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers across 24 states and contributes more than $4 billion annually in charity care, community benefits and unreimbursed government programs. Together with our patients, physicians, partners, and communities, we are creating a more just, equitable, and innovative healthcare delivery system. Learn more at commonspirit.org.
