HCA Houston Healthcare hosted a Grand Opening and Community Open House for its newest AirLife base in Hempstead on December 4 at 51137 US 290 E, Hempstead. Community members were able to tour the new AirLife 14 aircraft, meet the flight crew and clinical team, and learn how the new base will expand emergency medical transport services for Waller County and surrounding rural communities.

The Hempstead location becomes the fifth AirLife base in the HCA Houston Healthcare system, joining existing hubs in Liberty, Livingston, HCA Houston Healthcare Pearland, and The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. The new base was approved by the Waller County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Board in response to the region’s need for faster access to specialized emergency care.

“Our AirLife team worked diligently with the Waller County EMS Board, our aviation partner Apollo, and community stakeholders to plan and approve this new AirLife location,” said Jared Lee, regional assistant vice president for medical transportation at HCA Houston Healthcare. “In critical emergencies, minutes matter. This new base allows us to bring high-quality emergency care directly to rural communities and rapidly transport patients to Houston-area facilities equipped to meet their needs.”

HCA Houston Healthcare’s AirLife program — alongside Rural Outreach, Physician & Provider Relations, and regional hospital leaders — is partnering with EMS providers throughout Waller County and surrounding areas to educate clinicians about AirLife’s capabilities, how the service operates, and the process for requesting air transport.

The new Hempstead base expands capabilities for communities west of Houston, helping overcome challenges related to distance, traffic, and the availability of nearby acute care facilities. AirLife provides onboard critical care clinicians and advanced medical capabilities, ensuring continuity of care from local EMS responders to receiving hospitals, a company spokesperson said.