KINGMAN – TriState CareFlight 66 commemorated 15 years of dedicated service to the Kingman community and beyond on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The celebration, held at the TriState CareFlight base at Kingman Municipal Airport, brought together former patients and their families, city officials, local EMS partners, the Kingman Chamber, and both current and former crew members to honor this significant milestone.
Established in Kingman 15 years ago as TriState CareFlight 14, the base joined a network of sister locations across Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It was later renamed TriState CareFlight 66 to better reflect its position along historic Route 66. From inception, the base addressed a critical need for helicopter service to support Kingman and neighboring communities, strategically enhancing coverage and response times throughout northwest Arizona. Since then, the dedicated team has provided lifesaving care to thousands of patients, delivering critical interventions and offering hope to countless families.
One of those patients is 21-year-old Tranquilino Barela, a trauma patient who survived a gunshot wound to the head earlier this year. When poor weather prevented a flight, TriState’s clinicians joined ground EMS, delivering ICU-level care en route to a Level 1 trauma hospital in Las Vegas, NV.
“I’m thankful for the crew,” said Barela. “They kept me alive. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Barela attended the anniversary event with his family to reunite with the flight crew and ground EMS providers to personally thank them for having such a pivotal role in his survival.
TriState CareFlight provides support to first responders and hospitals, offering the community critical care 24/7/365 and responding to emergency medical and trauma events, including heart attacks and strokes, burns, and other critical ailments and incidents—serving as a flying intensive care unit.
“I still look back on my Kingman days as some of the most formative and rewarding years of my career,” said Amber Brown, a pilot who helped open TriState CareFlight and is now a Regional Aviation Manager for Air Methods, the parent company of TriState CareFlight. “I was a ‘baby pilot’ then, learning the ropes and building lifelong friendships with the pilots, clinical staff, and maintenance team. Those experiences and that tight-knit sense of teamwork continue to guide how I lead and serve today.”
Over the past decade and a half, the TriState CareFlight team has developed deep-rooted relationships with EMS partners and healthcare providers, lending to a seamless approach for patient care.
“CareFlight is truly a lifeline for Kingman and the surrounding region,” said Kingman Mayor Ken Watkins. “Their rapid response and advanced medical care have bridged the gap for our residents, ensuring that even in the most critical moments, help is never far away. The dedication of CareFlight’s crews, bringing the emergency room to the skies, has saved countless lives and strengthened our community. We are grateful for their unwavering commitment and proud to celebrate this milestone together.”
TriState CareFlight’s ongoing investment in the region continues to make a profound impact. The team is certified to carry and administer blood on every transport, a lifesaving resource proven to improve patient outcomes. Most recently, they added the AutoPulse® NXT, an automated CPR device that delivers continuous chest compressions during flight, enabling clinicians to safely perform additional lifesaving interventions. In 2026, TriState CareFlight 66 will be certified to use a tocodynamometer to help monitor pregnant moms and provide fetal care en route to higher levels of care. Additionally, the program will introduce another lifesaving asset in Fort Mohave next year, reflecting a steadfast commitment to partnering with local first responders and hospitals to continually improve patient outcomes.
Beyond emergency medical services, TriState CareFlight is deeply committed to the Kingman community.
“We’ve participated in so many local events like airshows, the Boys and Girls Club, Walk Away from Drugs, and many school events. We’ve even delivered Santa Claus to the Elks Lodge, where toys were distributed to the children,” said Rick Stevenson, the base’s original aviation mechanic. “I must admit, the excitement shown on children’s faces as Santa arrived from the air was, and continues to be, inspiring to all of us.”
TriState CareFlight program remains dedicated to serving communities across Arizona and California. The program in-network with most major insurance providers, and its dedicated patient advocacy team works directly with patients and families to ensure that financial concerns never stand in the way of receiving care. No prepaid membership is ever required.
