Mercy Flights

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Mercy Flights was founded in 1949 by George Milligan, an air traffic controller in Medford, after a friend of his died of polio in Southern Oregon, unable to survive the long, slow ground transport to Portland.

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Through fundraising efforts by schoolchildren, scouts, and others in the community, George raised enough money to buy the first aircraft, a twin-engine Cessna, which was known as the bamboo bomber. A “membership” program was established which provided people in the community an opportunity to contribute to Mercy Flights while ensuring that they would be financially covered if they needed aero-medical transportation

As demand grew, Mercy Flights responded by adding additional aircraft and personnel to provide medical transportation as needed. To date, Mercy Flights provides emergency air medical transport with three fixed-wing aircraft and two rotor-wing aircraft.

In 1992, Mercy Flights purchased Medford Ambulance Service, expanding operations to ground transportation. This acquisition combined the strengths of these two vital community service organizations. The decision to expand followed discussions with both Rogue Valley Medical Center and Providence Hospital, which supported building a regional medical transportation network. In 1993, Mercy Flights acquired Rogue Ambulance, expanding its service to the communities of White City, Eagle Point, and Shady Cove. In 2024, Mercy Flights host a 24 ambulance fleet.

In the past, the outlying communities of Prospect and Butte Falls were served by all-volunteer ambulance services, which faced financial challenges in operating ambulances in the 90s. Through a cooperative effort, now these First Responders and EMTs continue to serve their communities as a valuable part of Mercy Flights. These communities benefit from the assurance of consistent, professional EMS services and a stronger economic base. The EMTs benefit through increased training, improved equipment, and some financial compensation for the crucial role they play.

As Mercy Flights has expanded over the years, the membership program has grown, too. Today we serve over 18,000 households, several of whom have been members since Mercy Flights’ inception.

In 1995, Mercy Flights and Timberland entered a joint effort to provide an emergency helicopter service available to all citizens and agencies within a 150‑mile radius of Medford, further expanding the type of medical transportation provided. This added resource allows rapid transport for critical patients, as well as improved access to remote areas.

Mercy Flights has also committed to reaching out to young people in the communities we serve. As part of that effort, through Exploring for Life organization, we sponsor an EMS-specific post, Explorer Post 131. Through this program, young people between the ages of 16 and 21 receive training and experience in EMS and can “explore” this as a career option. The young explorers are medically trained and are used at large public events, scouting events, and disaster relief efforts such as the flooding problems experienced by Jackson County in January 1997. Explorer Post 131 has provided medical services at National Boy Scouts Jamborees.

In 2016, Mercy Flights launched a Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program. This unique program provides personalized healthcare in the convenience of a patient’s home. This care is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team that receives specialty training to deliver it.

MIH services include:

1. Quick response to patient needs.

2. On-the-spot healthcare treatment is provided in the convenience of the patient’s home.

3. An alternate response to those who are experiencing behavioral health crises and non-emergent treatment, reducing the need for a full multi-emergency service response, including police, fire, and ambulance.

4. Provides post-hospital care, focusing on chronic disease management, health education, and medication education and management.

5. Care coordination in a fragmented healthcare system by acting as a liaison for all (patient, family, and care team).

In 2023 Mercy Flights was awarded $3 million in the second round of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grants to launch an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) apprenticeship program in Southern Oregon. The program will also address the forecasted healthcare workforce crisis focusing on Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics professionals. The apprenticeship program will focus on four pillars:

Inspire: We partner with high schools, community groups, and workforce partners to bring awareness to the many jobs available within the EMS field and encourage interested individuals to apply to become an EMS apprentice.

Employ: Mercy Flights and other EMS employer partners will hire apprentices while they are pursuing their EMT or Paramedic education and provide them with a livable wage and on-the-job training in preparation for their degree completion.

Educate: RCC will provide the apprentices with EMT and Paramedic education.

Support: The EMS apprenticeship program staff will provide support to assist the apprentices achieve their education goals.

The HECC second round of funding will allow Mercy Flights to launch a three-year pilot of the EMS apprenticeship program in Southern Oregon. The pilot objectives include inspiring historically under-represented and vulnerable community members to pursue an EMS education and career; increasing the number of healthcare professionals in the local workforce; and testing the “to learn” apprenticeship model.

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