AirLink Critical Care Transport Celebrates 40 Years of Lifesaving Service in Oregon

AirLink Critical Care Transport (AirLink CCT) is proudly celebrating its 40th anniversary. Originally AirLife of Oregon, AirLink CCT was the first air ambulance in the region and has been a vital part of emergency medical services in the community ever since. Founded in 1985 upon the request of Sister Catherine Hellmann, CEO of St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, AirLink CCT remains based at the hospital today.

“It is an honor to serve this community,” said Deidre Heinrich, program director at AirLink CCT. “For four decades, our team has been committed to delivering critical care when every second counts. This anniversary is a celebration of the lives saved, the partnerships built, and the unwavering dedication of our crews past and present.”

Pioneering Clinical Excellence While Shaping Tomorrow’s Care
AirLink CCT represents not only years of service in the region, but decades of clinical leadership that have transformed emergency care. Founding medical director Dr. Helenka Marcinek was a pioneer in the EMS industry. Under her leadership, AirLink CCT achieved a series of groundbreaking milestones:

• Becoming the first provider in Oregon to carry blood products onboard, enhancing life-saving capabilities during transport.
• Serving as an early adopter of clinical lab testing in flight, enabling more accurate and timely diagnostics.
• Pioneering advanced airway management by introducing rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the field, a complex procedure not widely used in the industry at the time, according to Dr. Marcinek, which supported improved patient outcomes.
• Acting as an early advocate of point-of-care testing, allowing crews to obtain objective patient information while in the aircraft, supporting faster clinical decision making and better outcomes.
• Innovating emergency medicine protocols by equipping crews with targeted treatments, including different antibiotics for septic patients and hypertonic saline for patients with head injuries.
• Becoming the first air ambulance agency in Oregon to receive CAMTS accreditation in 2001, then operating as Air Life of Oregon. This distinction reflects a steadfast commitment to excellence and patient safety, which AirLink CCT has upheld through rigorous reaccreditation every three years.

Today, AirLink CCT continues to set the standard for air medical services in central Oregon. Flight teams consist of a highly skilled blend of flight nurses, paramedics and both adult and pediatric respiratory therapists—ensuring comprehensive care for patients of all ages.

Coverage That Saves More Than Lives
For nearly 40 years, AirLink CCT’s membership programs have helped shield families from the costs of air medical care. As a participating provider within the AirMedCare Network (AMCN), America’s largest air ambulance membership alliance, AirLink CCT offers members financial peace of mind. Household memberships are just $99 per year, with discounted rates available to seniors over the age of 60. Members pay no out-of-pocket costs for the air medical flight, only when flown by an AMCN provider, making lifesaving care accessible and affordable.

To learn more about the program and to sign up, visit AirLink CCT Membership or call your local membership manager at 541.241.4772.

A Local Lifeline, Backed by a National Network 
As part of Global Medical Response (GMR), the nation’s largest medical transportation provider, AirLink CCT combines local expertise with the resources and reach of a national network. Each year, GMR teams deliver life-saving interventions thousands of times across the United States. For a local family from Bend, those resources and that readiness made all the difference. 

AirLink CCT’s legacy is defined not only by clinical excellence but by the compassion and presence it brings to every mission. “It’s that balance of cutting-edge care and community presence that defines great EMS,” said Heinrich. “I am honored to recognize the AirLink CCT team for 40 years of unwavering service.”

AirLink CCT rotor-wing aircraft are operated by both REACH Air Medical Services LLC (REACH) and Metro Aviation, Inc.

AirLink CCT fixed-wing aircraft are operated by Metro Aviation, Inc.

REACH and Metro Aviation are both FAA Part 135 certificate holders and operators.