posted July 29, 2024

 Emergency air medical program brings fighters and support for local needs 

Las Cruces, NM, July 29, 2024 – When first responders meet in the boxing ring at the Las Cruces Battle of the Badges on Aug. 3, the Native Air emergency air medical crew will be in the front row to support their two teammates participating in the event. Held at the Las Cruces Convention Center, the boxing match is organized by the Las Cruces Professional International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2362.  

“This is a large community event attended by several hundreds of EMS, fire, and law enforcement families and supporters from the entire state of New Mexico,” said Lia Castagna-Munoz, senior account executive with Air Methods, the nation’s leading emergency air medical service and parent company of Native Air. “This event gives us the opportunity to show support for the community we all serve while bringing visibility to our critical life-saving mission.” 

Flight Paramedic Allison McGinnis and Flight Nurse Jorge Garcia will box in the event. Participating in the fight gives them a tangible way to show their support for both the EMS community and the local charities that benefit from the event. 

“I have been training in martial arts for a bit now, but this will be my first actual fight. Battle of the Badges seems like a perfect opportunity for a beginner like me,” said McGinnis with Native Air 29 in Carlsbad. “I like training and the physical fitness aspect of it, so it is fun to take it to the next level, if only for one day. I also like that, as first responders, we have this opportunity to do something fun and get to meet other responders from different agencies. It is great that we can come fight and then become friends afterward.”   

Garcia, with Native Air 31 in Las Cruces, said part of why he wants to participate is to overcome fear. He recently began practicing a form of martial arts called Muay Thai that allows the fighter to use the whole body, including hands, legs, knees, and elbows. While he knows he can only use his hands in the boxing match, he feels the battle will be a good way to evaluate his training progress. 

“I really want to represent the company I work for and gauge exactly where I am on my martial arts journey,” said Garcia. “It is important to me to participate in Battle of the Badges because I want nothing more than to overcome my fear of performing in front of a whole crowd of people and to utilize my skills in a controlled violent setting. This event will boost my confidence in competing in future fights. One should not be afraid to overcome their fear of failure and do their best in everything they do.” 

Battle of the Badges starts at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Las Cruces Convention Center. Tickets are available here. 

Native Air is part of Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider in the United States. The highly trained flight nurses and paramedics onboard their helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are equipped to transport pediatric, high-risk obstetrics, cardiac, stroke, and other patients with a wide variety of critical care needs. They carry whole blood that can be administered in-flight for patients suffering significant blood loss and at risk for hemorrhagic shock, which causes the body’s organs to fail and can lead to death. 

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities it serves and is in-network with most major health insurance providers across the country. Additionally, its patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability while making pre-paid air medical membership unnecessary.