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Emergency Helicopter Base Moves To Levy County, Allowing For Faster Response Times

To reduce emergency response times, Air Methods recently moved the base location of its medical service helicopter from Cross City to Bronson.

Air Methods, an emergency medical helicopter operating corporation, moved the helicopter to outside of the Levy County Public Safety Complex.

The helicopter provides medical assistance to Levy, Gilchrist and Dixie counties.

Within 10 minutes of receiving an emergency call, the crew prepares the helicopter for departure and then takes off.

Flight paramedic Katie Rhoden said helicopter response time is crucial. As little as 10 minutes can make a difference in human tissue dying or the patient's condition becoming more critical, she said.

The helicopter costs the county nothing. Air Methods charges patients directly for their services. The county provides the facility.

David Knowles, director of Levy County Public Safety, said the new location in Bronson works better for a rural area.

"It puts them in a better geographic area to support rural areas as opposed to being in town and coming out here and going back to town," he said.

April is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.