William N. Pennington Foundation pledges $3.25 million matching gift for new Care Flight helicopter to serve rural Nevada
Trustees of the William N. Pennington Foundation pose with members of the REMSA Health Board of Directors and Barry Duplantis, president and CEO at the new aircraft celebration in January 2024.
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Care Flight, a service of REMSA Health has received a $3.25 million conditional pledge from the William N. Pennington Foundation to support the purchase of one of two urgently needed helicopters. To secure the pledged funds, REMSA Health is actively fundraising to match the remaining $3.25 million to fund the purchase of the new helicopter that will be permanently positioned at the Care Flight base in Gardnerville, Nevada. Those interested can support this fundraising campaign by donating online.
William N. Pennington was a gaming industry pioneer, successful entrepreneur, and one of Nevada’s leading philanthropists.
“We are deeply grateful to the William N. Pennington Foundation for recognizing the serious need that rural Nevada communities face when it comes to critical care and emergency transport,” said Angelina Craig, managing director of philanthropy, REMSA Health. “As the region’s only nonprofit air ambulance provider, we rely on community support to ensure every patient, no matter where they live, has access to life-saving care when they need it most. This is a unique moment for our community—every dollar donated brings us twice as close to putting a new aircraft into service. We’re inviting everyone who believes in accessible emergency care to help us reach our goal.”
If fulfilled, this conditional pledge would represent the second-largest gift ever made to REMSA Health, following the William N. Pennington Foundation’s previous gift that funded a new helicopter now based in Fallon, Nevada. It will enable the organization to invest in the most innovative safety features, clinical advancements, and air ambulance technology available. This new helicopter, an Airbus H-125 B3E, will replace the same, but older model aircraft that is already part of the Care Flight program.
“For nearly 44 years, Care Flight has been a lifeline for residents and visitors in rural Nevada,” said Barry Duplantis, president and CEO, REMSA Health. “Healthcare for these communities is fragile. However, once again, through the Pennington Foundation’s generosity, we are able to preserve access to emergency air ambulance transport. Providing safe, clinically excellent, compassionate care to every patient has been Care Flight’s mission since its inception.”
In addition to expanding access to emergency medical care, this campaign will create a ripple effect of public safety benefits. Once funds are secured and the new Care Flight aircraft is in service, REMSA Health will donate one of its existing Care Flight-owned helicopters, a 2012 model, to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, where it will be reconfigured for public safety missions. This partnership strengthens emergency response capabilities across the region and underscores the wide-reaching value of supporting this campaign.
“The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office joins REMSA in thanking the William N. Pennington Foundation for their generous support of emergency response needs in Northern Nevada,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said. “Once decommissioned, Care Flight’s AS350 B3 aircraft will replace one of the Sheriff’s Office’s OH-58 Kiowa helicopters and further strengthen the Sheriff’s Office RAVEN program. RAVEN currently responds to critical incidents around Northern Nevada, including assisting firefighters and search and rescue. We are grateful to REMSA for helping us continue to provide these needed services in our community and look forward to continued partnerships.”
“Care Flight continues to invest in the newest air ambulance assets in the region,” said Duplantis. “It’s a further benefit to the entire region that this agreement allows REMSA Health to advance its commitment to private-public partnerships by passing along its helicopter to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to be repurposed.”
Care Flight, which transports approximately 1,800 patients every year across more than 50,000 square miles, is a critical component of the healthcare ecosystem for rural and super-rural Nevada.
Every Care Flight transport is staffed by a highly-trained certified flight nurse and flight paramedic, as well as a skilled pilot with more than 2,500 hours of helicopter flying time before they join the program. The clinical crew has standing medical protocols that include an expanded scope of practice, allowing them to perform medical interventions beyond typical ground emergency medical services. This ensures that all patients transported by Care Flight—whether facing traumatic injuries, medical emergencies, or critical pediatric conditions—receive the highest levels of care.
Pending fulfillment of the match, the Care Flight helicopter is anticipated to be in service in late 2026.
For more information about REMSA Health’s fundraising efforts, please contact Angelina Craig, Managing Director of Philanthropy, at a.craig@remsahealth.com.
