US emergency medical service specialist Air Methods is to acquire the St Louis, Missouri-based Area Rescue Consortium of Hospitals (ARCH) air ambulance service. The deal expands the Denver, Colorado-based company's turnkey medical transport operations.
ARCH will be acquired through Air Method's Mercy Air Service subsidiary. Air Methods operates air ambulance services for specific hospitals, while Mercy Air and ARCH are independent providers of air medical transport services for communities.
Mercy operates a fleet of six Bell 222s and a Eurocopter BK117, serving southern California. It has recently expanded into southern Nevada. ARCH operates five BK117s and two Raytheon Beech King Air 100s, serving communities in and around St Louis.
Air Methods is to pay $13 million for the operation, with the deal expected to close this month. ARCH will operate as a separate company within Mercy Air, says president David Dolstein. Mercy Air and ARCH are responsible for all aspects of the service.
Source: Flight International
