The Inter-Tribal Economic Alliance and PassNet of Minnesota announced a partnership on Wednesday to bring air ambulance service to tribes.

By placing airplanes on reservations, tribes will be able to reduce the time it takes to transport Indian patients to hospitals. Normally, it takes several hours because the airplane has to leave the hospital, fly to the reservation and fly back to the hospital.

The first airplanes will be placed on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota by July. The Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota will be next in line for the service.

Over the next few years, PassNet plans to extend service to 50 reservations.

Get the Story:
Reservations to get air ambulances (AP 4/27)

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