CareFlight opening fourth helicopter base for landings

CareFlight Air & Mobile is expanding to include a fourth base of operations in Versailles, in northeast Darke County. FILE

CareFlight Air & Mobile is expanding to include a fourth base of operations in Versailles, in northeast Darke County. FILE

CareFlight Air & Mobile is opening a fourth base in Darke County and will start responding from that location as early as February.

CareFlight, which operates medical helicopters affiliated with Premier Health, will have a location at a private hangar used by Midmark Corp., which makes medical, dental, and veterinary products.

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It will be CareFlight’s fourth base, joining Miami Valley Hospital, Lebanon-Warren County Airport, and Urbana-Grimes Airport.

“We are appreciative of the collaboration with Midmark Corp. and with public officials in Darke County who have made possible this expansion of life-saving services, as well as access to our Level 1 Trauma Center in Dayton and other advanced tertiary services,” Mary Boosalis, president and CEO of Premier Health, said in a statement.

“We are extremely delighted to partner with Premier Health on this important initiative,” said John Baumann, Midmark president and CEO.

CareFlight helicopters serve a 150-mile radius, covering most of Ohio and parts of West Virginia, Michigan, Kentucky, and Indiana, according to the company. Dayton-based Premier operates Miami Valley Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital South, Miami Valley Hospital North, Atrium Medical Center and Upper Valley Medical Center.

As of 2018, there were 17 air medical agencies in Ohio, with 17 headquarter locations and 50 additional satellite locations, according to the latest Ohio Trauma Annual Report.

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