Airlift Northwest

Your Air Ambulance Team

About us

Critical care in the air since 1982

Founded in response to a tragic house fire in Sitka, Alaska, Airlift Northwest became the region’s first hospital-based air ambulance program under the leadership of Dr. Michael Copass at UW Medicine.

Academic air medical program

With a home base in Washington state, we provide 24/7 critical medical flights across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon—delivering the expertise of the UW academic medical center team directly to patients—wherever they may be.

Meet our leadership team

For healthcare providers

Request a transport

Call our Communication Center to request a transport.

Call 206.329.2569

Request a transfer to UW Medicine

Contact the UW Transfer Center.

Request a transfer

Our services

Critical care air ambulance

  • Adult, pediatric, neonatal, and obstetric advanced life support
  • Airway management, ventilation, and invasive monitoring
  • Cardiac assist device transport (IABP, Impella)
  • ECMO transport (primary & secondary)
  • In-flight red blood cells and plasma
  • Neonatal isolette transport in partnership with:
    • Seattle Children’s Hospital
    • Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital

Non-urgent requests:

Call 206.521.1599

Memberships cost only $60

Learn about memberships

Superior air medical support

ECMO transport across the WWAMI region

We pick up patients at their hospital, put them on ECMO, and transport them back to a UW Medicine hospital.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ECMO

Our fleet and flight maps

We fly over 4,500 patients per year from Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.

VIEW FLIGHT MAPS

Alaska Juneau base rescues 13-year-old

A 13-year-old survivor that was in a potentially devastating horseback riding accident.

READ THE FULL STORY

Airlift community education

Program

Airlift community education

Supporting regional EMS, fire departments, clinics and hospitals with:

  • Low-cost continuing education and professional development
  • On-demand training programs
Learn more about Airlift Community Education

Landing zone (LZ) safety training

Take your career to new heights

At Airlift Northwest, we are a dedicated team of professionals driven by a shared commitment to clinical excellence and rapid, compassionate care. Whether you're an experienced critical care nurse, a skilled communications specialist, or a leader in operations or education, you may find your next opportunity with us.

Flight nurse candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • 5+ years in ICU or ED
  • ACLS or PALS, BLS and a professional certification
  • Team-focused mindset

Other roles:

  • Communications and Logistics
  • Outreach and Education
  • Administrative and Operational roles
Submit a general interest form
View job openings

Communications center

Our certified communication specialists handle every mission from initial call to completion, with tools that support rapid response and seamless communication. Our team is certified by the International Association of Medical Transport Communication Specialists and undergoes annual training in medical terminology, flight following, and dispatch best practices.

Services Include:

  • Rapid air ambulance dispatch
  • Real-time ETA updates for hospitals and EMS
  • CAD and EPCR system integration
  • Specialized transport coordination (ECMO, neonatal, IABP, etc.)
  • Integration with PSAP CAD to CAD interfaces
  • "Airlift Activate" button & Flight Call App
Urgent requests: 800.426.2430

Safety & accreditation

We are a CAMTS-accredited agency and operate under a comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) that exceeds regulatory standards.

Information, tools and training

BASE LOCATIONS

SERVICES

RESOURCES