What if you, someone you love, a very good friend or a valued employee were seriously injured or became critically ill in a remote area or an area with limited medical services available? What would the next hours of life be like during this medical emergency?

This happened to Jennifer, a twelve year old girl, and her mother while driving along a rural highway they had traveled many times before. A pickup truck struck their car and seriously injured them both.

Within the first thirty minutes of the accident, the first police officer at the scene had removed Jennifer and her mother form the car and was waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Within ninety minutes of the accident, Jennifer was in the emergency room of a local community hospital. However, the hospital was not equipped to treat Jennifer's head injuries and internal bleeding. The emergency room staff stabilized her as best they could and loaded her back into the ambulance to begin her trek to a major medical center.

Two-and-one-half hours after her injury, Jennifer arrived at the medical center. Forty minutes later, Jennifer died of serious head injuries and severe internal bleeding. The loss of Jennifer was tragic and unnecessary. Doctors treating Jennifer said that, had she arrived at the medical center within ninety minutes of her injury, she would be here today to share her experience with us.

There was no local air-medical transportation available for Jennifer in the area where she and her mother were injured. Had there been, Jennifer would have arrived at the medical center in time.

The medical profession has long recognized that, if you are able to obtain proper medical attention within one hour of your injury or illness, your chances of survival increase dramatically while the cost to you or your family decreases. This is the "Golden Hour".

Even though we may live and work in urban areas where excellent health care is only minutes away, we often find ourselves traveling, vacationing in or visiting areas in which these services we take for granted are hours away by ground or not available at all. With a life hanging in the balance, the time gained through the availability of emergency air-medical service can make the difference between life and death.

Air-Medical Systems of America is a non-profit, tax exempt 510(c)(3) charity dedicated to improving air-medical coverage in North America. Our mission is to establish air-medical programs in areas where there is a need and to help existing programs expand or improve their coverage.

Our "Golden Hour Goal" is that, no matter where you are or how serious your injury or illness, you will be at a medical center equipped for your treatment within one hour.

Join us in helping to assure that air-medical services are available by
Donating to AMSA
or by
Participating in the Co-op Profit Sharing Program