A new chapter in emergency care is taking flight in North Central Pennsylvania.
UPMC and STAT MedEvac, on June 1, marked the start of critical care helicopter operations at UPMC Muncy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating a service that will help patients across Lycoming County and the surrounding region get advanced care faster in some of the most urgent moments.
For rural communities, where distance and terrain can make emergencies even more challenging, time matters. The new STAT MedEvac base at UPMC Muncy adds a dedicated critical care transport resource to the region, helping connect patients to specialized care more quickly when every minute counts.
“Today’s launch is an important milestone highlighting UPMC’s commitment to advancing our services,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, market president, UPMC North Central Pa., and president, UPMC Williamsport. “This service gives our region an additional dedicated critical care transport resource and helps ensure patients can get the right level of care as quickly as possible, no matter where an emergency happens.”
The helicopter is staffed by a pilot, flight nurse, and paramedic, with the equipment and expertise to begin high-level care as soon as the crew reaches a patient. The team will support both scene responses and interfacility transports, helping patients reach life-saving trauma, stroke, cardiac, and other specialized care in key moments, when they need it most.
“This helicopter service builds on the strong emergency response network we already have in place across our region,” said Tony Bixby, chief, Susquehanna Regional Emergency Medical Services, and director, Pre-Hospital Services, UPMC in North Central Pa. “It adds another layer of support for local EMS teams and helps patients in rural communities reach advanced care faster when minutes matter.”
The launch also reflects UPMC’s broader commitment to strengthening emergency care across the region. With UPMC Williamsport serving as the area’s regional trauma center and strong partnerships already in place with local EMS and public safety agencies, the addition of a dedicated helicopter at UPMC Muncy further strengthens the region’s response during the “golden hour” — the critical period after a serious injury or medical emergency when fast intervention can make a major difference in patient outcomes.
“I am incredibly proud of the work we do, the organization we represent, and the team we have built,” said Jim Houser, president, UPMC’s Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania. “The impact of STAT MedEvac 19 will be measured not in flights or missions, but in lives touched, lives saved, and communities served.”
As the newest addition to STAT MedEvac’s fleet, adding the base and helicopter, an Airbus H135 with the Helionix avionics suite fitted with specialty equipment and ample room for patient care, to UPMC Muncy is a testament to UPMC’s devotion to rural health care and the communities served not only in north central Pennsylvania, but across Pennsylvania, New York, and western Maryland.
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