Watch: Sayre Foundation partners with Life Flight Network to provide Big Island with new air ambulance

The Big Island will soon have a new tool able to rapidly respond to and transport the most critical patients from even its most rural areas because of two nonprofits dedicated to saving lives.

Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda applauded an agreement between the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation and Life Flight Network to operate a new air ambulance on Hawaiʻi Island.

“This partnership marks a significant step forward in enhancing emergency medical services,” said Alameda in an announcement from the county about the agreement and new emergency services chopper. “This is an amazing opportunity that will add lifesaving capacity across our island, especially in our rural areas.”

The helicopter — which will be operated by Life Flight Network — is now being manufactured. Integrated with county and Hawaiʻi emergency response services, the air ambulance will provide direct critical care transport to Oʻahu from anywhere on the Big Island.

Its versatility and performance in challenging environments make the emergency chopper an ideal solution for providing life-saving medical care no matter where first responders are called to throughout Hawaiʻi Island’s diverse and remote regions.

The Airbus H145 is designed for rapid response, equipped with cutting-edge avionics, and offers a spacious cabin optimized for critical care transport.

“The need for emergency air medical transport is constant, and every second counts in a crisis,” said Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation Executive Director Laura Mallery-Sayre.

Life Flight Network Chief Executive Officer Ben Clayton added that his firm is honored to help strengthen Hawaiʻi Island’s air medical services and save lives.

The Sayre Foundation and Life Flight Network signed of a letter of intent to expand air medical services in Hawaiʻi.

To support the initiative, the foundation purchased the twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopter, fully configured as an air ambulance, with donations from visionaries for Hawaiʻi’s health care needs.

“The primary mission of both our nonprofits is to save lives,” Mallery-Sayre said. “This partnership is about expanding resources to ensure communities across Hawaiʻi Island have access to lifesaving care whenever and wherever it’s needed.”

Life Flight Network, the largest nonprofit air medical provider in the United States, has delivered world-class intensive care unit-level services and transport to the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West for 47 years.

Mallery-Sayre said the foundation sought an organization with an impeccable safety record and proactive approach to risk mitigation.

With Life Flight Network, it found a partner not only committed to safety but also dedicated to providing educational opportunities for community members seeking careers or advancement in the vital field.

The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation — founded in 1997 by Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre — has raised more than $40 million in donations and pledged equipment, directly funding essential rescue equipment and training for the Hawai‘i Fire Department.

Aurora, Ore.-headquarterd Life Flight Network is accredited by national and international accrediting bodies for safety, operations and clinical excellence. The nonprofit was named 2021 Program of the Year by the Association for Air Medical Services.

Alameda thanked the Sayre Foundation for its continued “immense” investment in the Big Island’s public safety and welcomed Life Flight Network as the county’s newest emergency response partner.

“We are excited to bring Life Flight Network’s legacy of compassion and lifesaving service to the Island of Hawaiʻi while collaborating with and learning from local health care providers,” Clayton said. “Together, we can ensure residents and visitors have access to critical care … .”