UNC Carolina Air Care

Did you know that today is World Bicycle Day? 🚲

Dust off those wheels, feel the sunshine on your face, and get out there to enjoy the ride! Whether you're cruising around Chapel Hill, hitting a scenic trail, or just pedaling for fun, today is the perfect excuse to celebrate the joy of biking.

Just remember helmets on, your brain deserves the best protection out there! We'll wear ours too.

And if the unexpected happens, UNC Carolina Air Care has your back. We're always ready to respond with speed and care when you need us most.

Ride safe, ride happy, and make today an awesome one!

Great shot Pittsboro Fire-Rescue!

Earlier today, Pittsboro Fire Department personnel responded to a single motor vehicle collision in the Asbury community. Due to the patient's medical needs and the distance to the nearest Level I Trauma Center, air medical transport was requested.

A landing zone was established at Pittsboro Fire Department Station 3, where Tar Heel 2 safely landed and transported the patient for further care.

We appreciate the efforts of all responding agencies and the seamless coordination that helped ensure the patient received timely access to advanced medical treatment.

UNC Carolina Air Care

Flashback Friday! ✈️

Here’s a great throwback for you, do you recognize these two Air Care leaders?

In this photo, we have our current Director, Leanne Reaves, and our current Tarheel 1 Base Supervisor, Justin Whitfield. You can spot the old BK117 on Leanne’s flight suit as well!

Leanne joined Air Care in 2006 and has held nearly every role over the years, from Orientation Coordinator to Base Supervisor and beyond. Justin has been part of the team since 2011 and has led our Tarheel 1 team since 2017.

While we’ve upgraded our fleet over the years, from the BK117 to the EC135 and now our Bell 429s, our commitment to training, teamwork, and exceptional patient care has never wavered.

Drop your favorite Carolina Air Care memory or throwback photo in the comments! We love hearing from you as we count down to our 40th anniversary. ❤️

At UNC Carolina Air Care, our dedicated Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Team stands ready to care for our smallest and most vulnerable patients. Each transport is staffed by a specialized Registered Nurse (RN) and Respiratory Therapist (RT), delivering advanced ICU-level care directly to the bedside.

This team completes over 900 transports annually by both air and ground. With bases in Burlington and our newest base in Goldsboro (opened last fall). This team is able to reach rural North Carolina patients who may otherwise face limited access to specialized pediatric care. The Goldsboro base has significantly reduced response times in eastern North Carolina, ensuring critically ill children receive timely, life-saving support.

Whether in the air or on the ground, our neonatal/pediatric specialists provide compassionate, expert care and bring the full capabilities of a children’s hospital ICU to every patient.

📷 Andy Mills

Despite the recent days of heavy rain across North Carolina, our UNC Carolina Air Care teams continue to provide safe, reliable critical care transport to patients in need.

Our crews are equipped to respond by helicopter or ground ambulance and can seamlessly transition between the two as conditions and patient needs require. This flexibility allows us to adapt quickly to any situation, ensuring patients are moved safely and efficiently to the expert care at UNC Medical Center.

Safety remains our top priority on every transport. Whether in the air or on the ground, our highly trained teams follow rigorous protocols and utilize advanced equipment to deliver the highest standard of care, no matter the weather.

We’re proud of our dedicated flight crews, ground teams, and support staff who work tirelessly to serve North Carolina with professionalism and compassion.

📸 Andy Mills

This week, we celebrate the incredible EMS professionals who answer the call every single day on the road, in the air, in the station, and at the bedside.

At Carolina Air Care, we are grateful for the partnerships we share with EMS agencies across our communities. From the first assessment on scene to the final handoff at the hospital, your skill, teamwork, compassion, and dedication make a difference in countless lives every day.

Whether responding in the middle of the night, during severe weather, on the side of a highway, or in someone’s worst moment, you continue to show up for your patients and for each other. We are proud to work alongside you.

During National EMS Week, we want to celebrate all of YOU. We’d love for our EMS partners to share photos in the comments from your crews, stations, memories, trainings, or moments in the field so we can recognize the people behind the profession.
Photo Cred: Andy Mills

Thank you for answering the call.

At Carolina Air Care, our nurses bring clinical excellence, compassion, leadership, and calm to every mission. They are advocates, teammates, educators, and caregivers making a difference for patients and each other every single day.

This week, we recognize and thank the incredible nurses who are part of our Carolina Air Care family, along with all nurses everywhere. We are better because of you.

Photo Credit: Andy Mills

Behind every mission is a voice you may never see, Flightwatch.
This Telecommunicators Week, we’re recognizing the team that keeps Air Care connected, coordinated, and safe. From dispatching and flight following to handling requests and tracking our crews in real time, they are the calm behind every call.
And their impact goes beyond our missions, supporting the community whenever they’re needed.
Every launch. Every landing. Every time, Flightwatch is there. Thank you for all you do.

The sun might be setting but the mission isn't! Don’t let that end-of-day haze make you forget your NVGs.

Highlighting our neonatal pediatric specialty care teams during Pediatric Transport Month. While all our crews are trained in pediatric care and neonatal resuscitation, this month showcases the people who care for the critically ill patients who are often weighed in grams, providing the highest level of care via air or ground. Procedures include a multitude of ventilator management, treatment of complex medical conditions, Tecotherm, high frequency oscillation, mixed gas therapies, and so much more.