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Avera St. Luke's CareFlight Emergency Helicopter Transport Service

Leading Provider of Air Ambulance

Contact Avera St. Luke's CareFlight: 1-800-592-1889

Offering both local and long-distance transports, Avera St. Luke's CareFlight emergency helicopter helps save lives and minimizes the severity of injuries for people in our area.

CareFlight has responded to numerous scene calls, such as motor vehicle crashes and farming and industrial accidents. When necessary CareFlight is able to transport patients to large medical centers in:

  • Bismarck, N.D.
  • Fargo, N.D.
  • Minneapolis, M.N.
  • Omaha, N.E.
  • Rapid City, S.D.
  • Rochester, M.N.
  • Sioux Falls, S.D.

Information About CareFlight Membership and Enrollment

CareFlight History

CareFlight began service in Aberdeen in 1992 with a Bell 206  helicopter. In 2003, Avera St. Luke's switched to a roomier Bell 407 helicopter and now contracts with Med-Trans Corp. Med-Trans, with headquarters in Dallas, is a leading provider of air ambulance programs in selected locations throughout the United States. Med-Trans has grown from four to 14 flight programs over the past five years and currently operates in nine states.

The Bell 407 helicopter has four rotor blades and a larger engine that creates more lift capacity and speed, with a maximum cruise speed of 153 mph. The crew includes a pilot, nurse and paramedic, with medical control supervision. The medical crew is skilled in advanced resuscitation and stabilization skills and has multiple advanced level certifications/verifications.

Avera St. Luke’s CareFlight is a “DBA” for Med-Trans Corporation (Med-Trans), an FAA Part 135 certificate holder and operator. Accordingly, all transportation by CareFlight aircraft and flights are under the operational control of Med-Trans, and all CareFlight operations are conducted under Med-Trans’ operations specifications (OpSpecs). Med-Trans has responsibility for ensuring all CareFlight aircraft are airworthy and are in compliance with its FAA-approved inspection/maintenance program. Med-Trans has specified the conditions under which flight may be operated. All CareFlight flight crewmembers assigned to a flight by Med-Trans are qualified, and have been trained under Med-Trans’ approved training program.