Oregon Public Broadcasting

The emergency air ambulance service ‘Life Flight’ began a new helicopter service in the Kelso-Longview area Friday.

Executive director, Michael Griffiths, says the non-profit has served the area for the last 30 years, but the volume of transfers between there and Portland has increased so much, a new helicopter is now needed.

Michael Griffiths: “It does two things actually. It reduces the amount of time it takes to transport a patient from that area down to Portland. But simultaneously, because the aircraft in Portland are not going to be responding up there as frequently, it makes them more available in th Portland metropolitan area.”

Life Flight now has five bases in Oregon. Two in Portland, one in Eugene, one in The Dalles and now one in the Kelso-Longview area.