New Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance Services Base at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital to Save Response Time and Enhance Patient Care

Intermountain Health caregivers can now respond more quickly when patients need urgent care thanks to the opening of a new Intermountain Flight & Ambulance Services base at Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital.

The new base brings crews, equipment, maintenance and support spaces together just steps from the hospital’s helipad and Emergency Department.

With quicker access to equipment and aircraft, crews expect to reduce lift times for medical helicopters and reach patients roughly five to 10 minutes sooner.

“Even a few minutes can change an outcome,” said Rex Jacobsen, operations manager for Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance Services in southern Utah. “This setup helps us get to patients and get them the care they need faster.”

For years, flight and ambulance teams worked from several locations across the Intermountain St. George Hospital campus, with supplies spread out and crews coordinating across different spaces. 

The new base centralizes those operations, giving pilots, mechanics and clinical teams easier access to the supplies, aircraft and support they need.

“This new space is designed to remove barriers and help our teams move faster when patients need us the most,” Jacobsen said.

The base supports 911 responses and interfacility transfers originating within approximately 150 miles of St. George. Clinical teams based at the facility care for adult, pediatric, neonatal and high-risk obstetric patients.

The new space includes a shared team area, day room, and kitchen, giving caregivers a place to rest and recover between calls. Centralized supplies and nearby maintenance support also help crews remain prepared for the next transport.

Located near the Emergency Department, the base allows transport crews to move more quickly between a patient’s bedside and an aircraft or ambulance.

The proximity also supports communication and continuity of care among flight, ambulance, and other hospital teams.

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