Air Evac Lifeteam to Build New Base in Eastland, Texas

Air Evac Lifeteam, the largest independently-owned and operated air ambulance service in the U.S., signed an agreement Wednesday to build an air ambulance base in the Eastland Business Park.

The building will be on 2.5 acres, and construction will start immediately, said Terry Jones, president of Eastland Economic Development. Once finished, it will create about 15 jobs and about $1 million in payroll.

Construction is expected to be completed later this year.

The base will provide on-the-scene medical care and rapid medical transport, as well as transfers between medical facilities to the region. It will serve communities and hospitals within a 70-mile radius of Eastland, company officials said.

An Air Evac Lifeteam crew, which includes a registered nurse, paramedic and pilot, will be on call at the base 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The base will use a Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter that is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including the use of night-vision goggles.

“Air Evac’s commitment to immediately construct an estimated $750,000 in facilities and improvements in the Eastland Business Park has accelerated our schedule for developing needed infrastructure additions,” Jerry Conner, executive director of Eastland Economic Development, said. “These additions will pave the way for additional companies who have already expressed interest.”

Air Evac will be the first occupant of the business park. Its other bases are located in Abilene, Brownwood, Mineral Wells and Granbury.