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History
While the name
LifeNet, Inc. has only been in use since October 1993, the concept
for the company began ten years earlier in 1983 . At that time, Don and Mary Ruggles had a desire to honor their son Tony by providing a service unheard of in this area – a helicopter to fly sick and injured
into the Texarkana area or elsewhere if needed.
It was their belief that Tony would have lived if a helicopter had been available on the day of his fatal hunting accident.
With the help of Mr. Tom Bryne, Mr. Roy Morgan,
and St. Michael Hospital, this dream was realized with the first full time air medical
service in the state of Arkansas.
Several years later, in 1988, St. Michael realized that
more was needed and started a ground ambulance service to cover Western Bowie County with
2 ambulances and 6 staff members.
In October 1993, St. Michael
Hospital and Wadley Regional Medical Center
joined together to form a separate not-for-profit Arkansas corporation – LifeNet,
Inc.
In October 2005, LifeNet entered into agreements to purchase the assets of St. Joseph ’s Mercy Health Center ’s Life Mobile and National Park Medical Center EMS. Through a joint agreement, St. Joseph ’s Mercy Health Center ’s Life Mobile and National Park Medical Center EMS provided exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service for the City of Hot Springs and Garland County . During the month of September 2005, the City of Hot Springs approved assignment of the ambulance contract to LifeNet and the new service began operating on October 8, 2005 .
LifeNet currently covers Texarkana, AR., and Texarkana, TX., Bowie
County, Miller County, Red River County, Cass County, Garland County, and Little River
County with 33 ground units, a fully equipped Disaster Response Unit, and a helicopter. We also have access to a fixed wing
airplane for longer distance transfers.
LifeNet currently employs over 150 full time
employees with approximately 40 call-in-relief employees. |
Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services: Three-Year Accreditation, 2000-2003,
Renewed in 2003 and 2006 for an additional three years