Air Methods Kentucky

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September 10, 2008

Air Methods Kentucky Deploys for Hurricane Ike

Air Methods Kentucky Press Release

LEXINGTON — It’s only been three days since the 15 Air Methods Kentucky medical flight nurses, paramedics, and pilots returned home from their week-long deployment into Louisiana, assisting with the medical evacuation of those in the path of Hurricane Gustav. And yet, on Wednesday, many had already left again, this time to Texas as Hurricane Ike grew into a Category 2 storm in the Gulf of Mexico .

Air Methods Corporation, based in Englewood , Colorado , is deploying 15 medical helicopters, personnel, and supplies to the Gulf Coast . Two of those medical helicopters are spare aircraft based in Kentucky . Air Methods Kentucky is also sending four Kentucky medical teams and additional support staff, including mechanics.

"No other air medical system in the country can mount such a large scale aviation initiative in such a short period of time,” said Bryant Shumate , Air Methods Kentucky area administrative operations director.

“It is this type of dedication, leaving one’s family on short notice to head into a place everyone is trying to escape from just to help those from another state who are in need, that defines our operation,” said Ron Walter , Air Methods Kentucky area administrative business director.

Air Methods is deploying under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorization through a contract managed by AMR. In 2007, FEMA awarded AMR with an exclusive contract to provide ground and air ambulance service along with para-transit service to supplement federal and military responses to disasters, acts of terrorism and other public health emergencies. The contract covers the 21 states along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and could be expanded to the 48 contiguous states if necessary.

Air Methods deployed 25 medical helicopters to Louisiana , along with over 200 employees, over the Labor Day Weekend to assist with patient evacuations during Hurricane Gustav. Four of those aircraft came from Kentucky and remained in Louisiana for a week. Air Methods Kentucky, which in 1982 became the first civilian air medical program in the state, bases 10 medical helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft throughout Kentucky

After battering Cuba on Tuesday with 75 mph winds, Hurricane Ike entered the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to strengthen and become a major hurricane as it heads west. Ike could make landfall along the Texas coast between Galveston and Brownsville later this week as a major hurricane with 130-mph winds, forecasters said. At least 77 deaths have already been reported from the storm in Haiti and Cuba .

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About Air Methods Kentucky

Air Methods Kentucky is a full-service air medical transport system covering Kentucky and southern Indiana. Founded in 1982 as the first civilian air medical program in Kentucky, in 1995 it became the first air medical program in the state to earn CAMTS (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems) accreditation. It operates 10 helicopter ambulances and one fixed wing ambulance throughout its region, with state offices headquartered in Lexington. With a mission of safety, quality, and integrity, Air Methods Kentucky is committed to providing its patients and medical and emergency service partners with a high level of care and professionalism. For more information about Air Methods Kentucky, visit http://www.airmethodsky.com.

About Air Methods Corporation

Air Methods Kentucky is owned by Air Methods Corporation (NASDAQ: AIRM), the nation’s largest provider of air medical emergency transport services and systems. The company is dedicated exclusively to air medical transport, focusing on the quality of care to patients, and safety in aviation operations. With 27 years of experience, the company transports more than 84,000 patients annually who require intensive medical care from either the scene of an accident or general care hospitals to highly skilled trauma centers or tertiary care centers. For more information about Air Methods Corporation, visit http://www.airmethods.com.