In emergency medicine, the golden hour is the first 30-60 minutes after an accident or the onset of acute illness. The victim's chances of survival are greatest if he or she can be in the hands of Critical Care providers within the Golden Hour. In cases of severe trauma, particularly internal bleeding, stroke, or heart attack, nothing can replace highly specialized care. It is therefore necessary to transport victims as fast as possible by Advanced Life Support (ALS) personnel to the specialists at a hospital or trauma center. That’s why Access Air introduced Northern Nevada's only emergency response helicopter over 5 years ago. As the area's only ALS emergency service, Access Air Ambulance is a state-of-the-art turbine powered aircraft that safely travels at speeds up to 135 miles per hour straight to the required location. With the skilled medical crew, capability of advanced airway protection, the use of over 70 medications and procedures, and sophisticated patient monitoring/life support instruments on board; serious patient care begins shortly after the helicopter lands.

This explains why ALS emergency helicopters are often dispatched when Basic Life Support (BLS) ground transport could get the patient to a medical facility nearly as quickly. Since it’s inception, Access Air Ambulance has flown nearly 2,500 life-sustaining missions.