Guardian Flight Expands Reach in Arizona with Sunrise

Guardian Flight has expanded its footprint in Arizona to nine bases with its acquisition of Sunrise Air Ambulance, which has four air medical transport bases in the state. Sunrise Air Ambulance joins Guardian Flight companies Eagle Air Med and AeroCare Medical Transport to provide medevac services in Arizona, and has a fixed-wing and rotary-wing operation in Show Low, as well as bases in Springerville and Safford.

Sunrise CEO and program director Mike Hayes will continue to oversee the Sunrise bases. “Now that Sunrise is a part of Guardian Flight's air medical operations, our presence in the state will grow even stronger as we are now able to take advantage of its market strength in the region," Hayes said.

Part of Air Medical Group Holdings, Guardian employs 750 and operates about 85 fixed and rotary-wing air medical aircraft in the Upper Midwest, Mountain West, Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaii.

"We welcome the tremendously experienced and professionally trained Sunrise team of flight and medical providers to Guardian Flight," added Randy Lyman, Guardian Flight senior v-p of operations. "Adding Sunrise's eastern Arizona bases strengthens our footprint within the state as we begin working more closely with Mount Graham Medical Center, Summit Healthcare, and White Mountain Regional Medical Center."