Care Flight, operated by REMSA Health, has received a conditional $3.25 million pledge from the William N. Pennington Foundation to help fund the purchase of a new Airbus H-125 B3E helicopter.
The new aircraft, which would be stationed in Gardnerville, will replace an older model currently in use.
To secure the pledged funds, REMSA Health is seeking to raise the remaining $3.25 million through community donations.
The William N. Pennington Foundation is covering half the cost of the new helicopter, and REMSA Health is asking for the public’s help to fund the rest. Anyone can support the effort, any amount helps, and contributions can be made online at REMSAHealth.com/donations.
“We are deeply grateful to the William N. Pennington Foundation for recognizing the serious need that rural Nevada communities face when it comes to critical care and emergency transport,” said Angelina Craig, managing director of philanthropy, REMSA Health. “As the region’s only nonprofit air ambulance provider, we rely on community support to ensure every patient, no matter where they live, has access to life-saving care when they need it most. This is a unique moment for our community—every dollar donated brings us twice as close to putting a new aircraft into service. We’re inviting everyone who believes in accessible emergency care to help us reach our goal.”
If the matching funds are raised, the pledge would become the second-largest donation REMSA Health has received, following a prior gift from the Pennington Foundation that funded a helicopter now operating in Fallon.
“For nearly 44 years, Care Flight has been a lifeline for residents and visitors in rural Nevada,” said Barry Duplantis, president and CEO, REMSA Health. “Healthcare for these communities is fragile. However, once again, through the Pennington Foundation’s generosity, we are able to preserve access to emergency air ambulance transport. Providing safe, clinically excellent, compassionate care to every patient has been Care Flight’s mission since its inception.”
In addition to enhancing access to emergency care, the fundraising campaign will have broader impacts on regional public safety.
Once the new helicopter is operational, REMSA Health plans to donate one of its existing 2012 Care Flight-owned aircraft to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. The helicopter will be reconfigured for public safety use, replacing one of the Sheriff’s Office’s current OH-58 Kiowa models.
“The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office joins REMSA in thanking the William N. Pennington Foundation for their generous support of emergency response needs in Northern Nevada,” said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam. “Once decommissioned, Care Flight’s AS350 B3 aircraft will replace one of the Sheriff’s Office’s OH-58 Kiowa helicopters and further strengthen the Sheriff’s Office RAVEN program. RAVEN currently responds to critical incidents around Northern Nevada, including assisting firefighters and search and rescue. We are grateful to REMSA for helping us continue to provide these needed services in our community and look forward to continued partnerships.”
“Care Flight continues to invest in the newest air ambulance assets in the region,” Duplantis said. “It’s a further benefit to the entire region that this agreement allows REMSA Health to advance its commitment to private-public partnerships by passing along its helicopter to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to be repurposed.”
Care Flight serves a coverage area of more than 50,000 square miles and transports about 1,800 patients annually.
Each transport is staffed by a certified flight nurse, a flight paramedic, and an experienced pilot with more than 2,500 hours of flight time.
The crew operates under advanced protocols, enabling medical interventions not typically performed by ground emergency services, including care for traumatic injuries, critical pediatric conditions, and other serious emergencies.
Pending successful fundraising and fulfillment of the pledge, the new Care Flight helicopter is expected to enter service in late 2026.
