CODY — The First Flight of Wyoming (FFoW) medical flight program will launch services from Cody Regional Health on Oct. 1. This addition to the region’s health care resources will provide residents of the Big Horn Basin with access to life-saving medical transport services seven days a week. 

Initially, the medical flight services will be operational 12 hours a day, ensuring rapid response  and critical care transportation during daytime hours. However, as of Nov. 1, First  Flight of Wyoming will extend its services to operate 24/7, making high-quality medical flight services accessible to the community around the clock. 

“We are thrilled to introduce our medical flight services to the Big Horn Basin community. This  joint venture flight program between Cody Regional Health and Intermountain Health-St. Vincent will serve the needs of the Greater Wyoming Basin Region with high-quality, cost effective transport services,” said Keith Ungrund, president of First Flight of Wyoming. “Cody Regional Health operates the largest EMS network in Northern Wyoming, while St. Vincent Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Health, has operated HELP Flight, an air medical transport program, for over 40 years. Our commitment to providing timely, high-quality medical  transport is unwavering, and we look forward to serving Northern Wyoming and Southern Montana.” 

To celebrate this significant milestone, First Flight of Wyoming invites the community to an event on Monday, Oct. 2, from 5-6:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, offering attendees a unique opportunity to get up  close and personal with the state-of-the-art medical helicopter and meet the skilled flight crew. 

“With vast distances and challenging terrain, access to timely medical care can be a matter of  life and death for Wyoming residents. First Flight of Wyoming will save lives and enhance the overall quality of health care in the Big Horn Basin and across Wyoming,” said Heather Stamey,  senior director of Emergency & Critical Care at St. Vincent Healthcare, part of Intermountain Health. “This program is a testament to Intermountain Health and Cody Regional Health’s  commitment to ensuring that every Wyomingite, regardless of their location, has access to the  best possible medical care when they need it the most.” 

The event promises to be an informative and family-friendly occasion, with food and a brief program about medical flight services’ critical role in emergency health care. Attendees can also  explore the helicopter and its advanced medical equipment and engage with the experienced flight crew.