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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services (CHEMS) is ending its air transport services to focus solely on ground transportation, a spokeswoman announced Monday without elaborating on the reasons or potential impacts of the move.</p><p>&#8220;CHEMS ground transportation services have grown to more than 50,000 transports per year, while utilization of Commonwealth One, the emergency medical helicopter service contracted through Air Methods, has remained low,&#8221; Commonwealth Health Vice president of Marketing and Communications Annmarie Poslock said in a prepared statement.</p><p>&#8220;Several other entities offer air transport services for our communities in northeast Pennsylvania, and we are confident that these providers are able to meet the community&#8217;s current and future needs,&#8221; she added.</p><p>Poslock reiterated that critical care transportation will still remain available through CHEMS ground transportation.</p><p>&#8220;These vehicles are equipped with advanced capabilities that are typically found only in hospital emergency departments and intensive care units, allowing us to provide our patients with advanced lifesaving procedures during transport,&#8221; she added.</p><p><strong>Other providers</strong></p><p>Geisinger Life Flight has a fleet of nine helicopters, with six bases across Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, along with a critical care transport ambulance, according to Alysha Davis, Geisinger media relations manager.</p><p>&#8220;From six bases, Geisinger Life Flight provides air ambulance service for all Geisinger hospitals, as well as any hospital requesting our services.&#8221;</p><p>Since 1981, Geisinger Life Flight has flown more than 60,000 people since its inception, averaging 2,500 flights per year, Davis noted.</p><p>&#8220;Geisinger Life Flight has a staff of about 100, including 30 flight nurses, 30 flight medics, 10 communications specialists, 10 mechanics, 20 pilots and administrative leadership,&#8221; Davis said. &#8220;Geisinger owns the helicopters and employs all staff members. The program&#8217;s annual operating budget is approximately $15 million.&#8221;</p><p>Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, a Level II trauma center, has a helipad on site to utilize Geisinger Life Flight services.</p><p>The nearest base to GWV is Geisinger Life Flight 3 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.</p><p>Gerald Splitt, Life Flight program director, elaborated on the program in a statement provided to the Times Leader.</p><p>&#8220;Geisinger&#8217;s goal is to provide outstanding inter hospital and pre-hospital critical care transportation in our helicopters and ground ambulances throughout Geisinger&#8217;s 42 county service area,&#8221; Splitt said.</p><p>&#8220;We continually build and improve education programs that begin with EMTs and paramedics in the field,&#8221; He added. We partner with these EMS professionals to provide state-of-the-art care for the most serious medical issues, including stroke, heart attacks, pediatrics, and traumatic injuries. We&#8217;re very proud of our region&#8217;s EMS professionals and will continue working together to improve emergency medical services long into the future.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL071715Chems1-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Helicopter pilot Andrew Lerner shows EMT Tom DiDonato the Commonwealth Helicopter at the Commonwealth Health grand opening for the EMS sub station on Conyngham street in Wilkes-Barre. Commonwealth announced Monday that it is ending its air transport services to focus solely on ground transportation. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL071715Chems1-4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Helicopter pilot Andrew Lerner shows EMT Tom DiDonato the Commonwealth Helicopter at the Commonwealth Health grand opening for the EMS sub station on Conyngham street in Wilkes-Barre. Commonwealth announced Monday that it is ending its air transport services to focus solely on ground transportation. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Commonwealth Health to end helicopter service