North Lyon Fire and Battle Born Medevac hosted an open house and official ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 24 at Fire Station 61 on East Main Street. Photo courtesy of North Lyon Fire.
A medical helicopter based in the heart of Fernley is bringing emergency care closer to residents of northern Lyon County and surrounding communities, and Saturday, local firefighters, medical crews and residents gathered to celebrate the new service.
North Lyon Fire and Battle Born Medevac hosted an open house and official ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 24 at Fire Station 61 on East Main Street, recognizing the partnership and the community members and businesses who helped make the new helicopter base possible.
The helicopter, known as Battle Born Medevac 3, began operating from Fernley on Aug. 7. Its arrival marked a significant change for local emergency responders, who previously had to wait for air ambulances dispatched from other communities when critically ill or injured patients needed rapid transportation to a hospital.
The new base places a critical care helicopter and medical flight crew at the fire station, providing a resource for emergencies throughout the Interstate 80 corridor and surrounding rural communities.
For Fernley, where heavy traffic between the city and Reno can delay ground ambulance transportation, having a helicopter nearby can make an important difference.
“Providing the highest level of emergency medical care to our community requires strong partnerships,” North Lyon Fire Chief Brian Bunn said when the base opened in August. “By working alongside Battle Born Medevac, we are improving access to lifesaving resources, reducing response times and ensuring critically ill and injured patients have faster access to definitive medical care.”
The partnership between North Lyon Fire and Battle Born Medevac has been in development for several months.
Bunn first discussed plans to establish a helicopter base at Station 61 during a March meeting of the North Lyon County Fire Protection District Board of Directors. The board approved the agreement with Battle Born Medevac in June.
Under the arrangement, Battle Born Medevac stations a pilot, flight nurse and paramedic at Station 61, where the crew can respond to emergencies without first traveling to Fernley from another community.
Battle Born Medevac CEO Joey Loehner explained the difference during the June fire board meeting.
“We are flying here a lot obviously, but we're coming from Yerington, so with requests, dispatch, launch and flight time it's 27, 28 minutes average response time total, start to finish, to land here, versus now we'll be physically here,” Loehner said.
The helicopter is equipped for advanced medical care, including specialized equipment and whole blood products that may not be available in a traditional ground ambulance.
The estimated flight time from Fernley to Reno is approximately 12 minutes, providing another transportation option for critically ill patients when minutes matter.
The Fernley base is Battle Born Medevac's third helicopter location, joining operations in Yerington and at East Fork Fire Protection District Station 12 in the Carson City area.
The Fernley helicopter serves a regional area that includes Lyon, Churchill, Storey, Pershing and portions of Washoe counties, with additional coverage extending to communities such as Pyramid Lake, Lovelock and Gerlach.
Because it serves the broader region, the aircraft may sometimes be responding to another emergency when needed locally.
The Fernley helicopter operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Rural Medevac Alliance, the organization operating Battle Born Medevac.
Saturday's celebration also recognized the local businesses, public agencies and individuals who helped construct the new helipad behind Station 61.
North Lyon Fire credited Fernley City Councilman Albert Torres, Sanchez Landscaping, American Ready Mix, the City of Fernley Public Works Department and the Nevada Department of Transportation's District 2 with contributing time, materials and resources to make the project possible.
The fire district said the contributions helped establish an important resource for the community while supporting the partnership between local emergency responders and the air medical service.
The new base also allows firefighters and flight crews to work more closely together, coordinating emergency responses and participating in joint training.
“Both agencies view this as a true partnership,” Loehner said when the base opened. “Being co-located at Station 61 allows us to train together more frequently, strengthen relationships between our crews and ultimately provide even better service to the communities we protect.”
North Lyon Fire continues to manage emergency medical responses within its district, with the helicopter available when air transportation is needed.
Saturday's open house gave residents an opportunity to see the medical helicopter up close, tour the fire station, meet firefighters and flight crews, and learn more about the services available in Fernley.
The American Red Cross Nevada Chapter, Nevada State Fire Marshal's Office and Lyon County Emergency Management joined Battle Born Medevac and North Lyon Fire for the event, visiting with residents and sharing information about their work.
Fernley Grocery Outlet donated 50 pumpkins for children attending the open house to take home for Halloween.
North Lyon Fire particularly appreciated the donation, noting that it gave children who might not otherwise have had a pumpkin an opportunity to take one home.
Families spent the afternoon exploring equipment, talking with emergency responders and learning more about the work the agencies do throughout the year.
In a statement following the event, North Lyon Fire thanked the businesses, agencies and residents who participated and helped make the celebration possible.
“Events like this remind us that the fire service is about so much more than responding to emergencies. It's about building relationships, fostering trust, creating connections, and being an active part of the community we serve,” the district said.
The ribbon-cutting marked the formal celebration of a service that is already operating in Fernley, providing another important emergency medical resource for residents and travelers throughout northern Nevada.
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