Leaves Yuma With One Provider

There's still more fallout from the abrupt closing of Silver State Helicopters. In Arizona, Silver State Air Rescue, in which Silver State Helicopters was a partner, ended service to Yuma Regional Medical Center on Wednesday.

Fortunately for the center, Silver State was not the only provider. Officials there tell the Yuma Sun the remaining provider will be able to handle Yuma's emergency transport needs, even in a mass-casualty scenario.

Silver State Air Rescue was reportedly a partnership between Sun Care, a local company owned by Gary Ewing, and Silver State Helicopters of Nevada. As ANN reported, SSH abruptly sent employees home and terminated operations Sunday, February 3, and officially filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday last week.

Silver State Air Rescue folded the same day, and the Sun reported its calls to Ewing's home and office went unanswered.

Yuma Regional Medical Center's other provider is Tri-State CareFlight, headquartered in Bullhead City. The company recently purchased the Diamond Air Jet Center at Yuma International Airport, which it plans to use as a base of operations for the area.

Corrin Koehler, chief executive officer for Tri-State, told the Sun the company has a helicopter and fixed-wing airplane in Yuma, will add a second helicopter within a couple of weeks, and can direct in aircraft and personnel from other areas if needed.

"We have a small army on the river," she said. "If we have mass casualties, we can dispatch."

FMI: www.suncareair.com/