Aledo, IL – The skies above Aledo saw something new today—a medical helicopter landing near the Aledo Fire Station, not for an emergency, but as part of a special training event for local first responders.
The helicopter, Air Care 4, is the latest addition to the University of Iowa Air Care Program and is based out of the Davenport Airport. It officially began operations in November 2024 and is now available to help transport critically ill or injured patients from Mercer County to another medical facility.
Matt Fults, Account Executive for the program on behalf of Air Methods, says today’s training was focused on safety and collaboration.
“We’re out here just working with the fire department and ambulance service to learn the principles of helipad setup for remote landing zones,” Fults explained. “We want to make sure we can land safely and get patients out quickly and securely.”
Elite EMS, the regional ambulance provider, plays a vital role in the process.
“Elite is one of our referring agencies,” said Fults. “If they have a patient on the ground that requires air medical transport, we work together to get that patient out of here as quickly as possible.”
Inside the fire station, participants attended classroom sessions covering the history of the program, medical services offered, and detailed safety guidelines for coordinating emergency landings.
While the program has technically been active for several months, today marked the first in-person training opportunity with local crews in Aledo.
“Everyone’s kind of known we’re here,” Fults added. “But today gave them the chance to meet the crew and go through formal training.”
The partnership between Air Care, Elite EMS, and local fire departments is expected to enhance emergency response efforts across the region.