posted October 10, 2024

Native Air is the only emergency air medical provider in western Texas with a Hamilton T1 ventilator and Hamilton H900 humidifier 

Snyder, TX, Oct. 10, 2024 – When patients need help breathing while on an emergency air medical flight, Native Air 39 in Snyder is equipped with the best equipment to help. They are the only air medical program in the area with a Hamilton T1 ventilator and Hamilton H900 humidifier, which provide ICU-level care before the patient ever reaches a hospital.  

“At Air Methods, we chose to invest over $8 million to equip our nationwide fleet of aircraft with Hamilton T1 ventilators, Hamilton H900 humidifiers, and thousands of hours of education focusing on critical care ventilation training,” said Eric Connor, clinical director with Air Methods, the nation’s leading emergency air medical provider and parent company of Native Air. “This specialized equipment brings the ICU to the patient’s bedside, whether that is a rural hospital for a neonate with respiratory difficulty or on the side of the road after a trauma patient was just pulled from a motor vehicle accident.” 

The Hamilton T1 ventilator is superior because it can be used on patients ranging from tiny newborns to adults. It provides the safest and most comfortable support regardless of the level of ventilation required, meaning it can be effective for patients breathing spontaneously to those requiring full ventilatory support. 

“What really separates the Hamilton T1 ventilator from others is its superior non-invasive ventilation mode,” said Native Air Flight Paramedic Jason Guynes. “It also allows us to monitor several different parameters at once that in the past could only be achieved in an ICU setting.”  

Guynes noted that Native Air relies on the ventilator weekly for patients suffering from both trauma and medical conditions that inhibit breathing. It is a critical resource in providing the highest level of pre-hospital care and increasing a patient’s likelihood of a positive outcome. 

Along with the ventilator, the clinical crew uses the Hamilton H900 to provide warmed and humidified oxygen to patients through a nasal canula. This makes it easier and safer for patients to breathe and is often used in patients with COVID.  

“The time sensitive critical care provided by the Native Air 39 crew in conjunction with Hamilton ventilator equipment allows for better patient care and monitoring,” said Connor. “Non-invasive heated humidified high flow therapy is normally only available in a hospital setting and not during transport. With the Hamilton H900 carried on every aircraft, we are able to continue the same in-hospital therapy which is safer for the patient and allows for better outcomes.” 

Every Native Air mission is staffed with highly skilled and experienced flight nurses and flight paramedics. Three of their paramedics boast over 30 years of experience, and the crew’s collective experience totals around 390 years. Adding to this expertise, all clinicians undergo ongoing advanced training through Air Methods Ascend, an in-person and online training program that allows clinicians to perform at the top of their licensure. Air Methods Ascend is available to medical personnel across the country. 

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities they serve and are in-network with most major health insurance providers for emergency air medical services. Additionally, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability.