Company
Lifeguard Air Ambulance was established in 1982 by a small group of Physicians in Sarasota Florida. They saw a need for fast, comfortable, long distance transport for their patients traveling to specialty care centers across the country. The potential of this service was spotted by the administration of Pinellas Ambulance Service in St. Petersburg; they purchased the company in 1983 and expanded a small branch to Pensacola, Florida in 1984. In 1990, Lifeguard’s Administrator, John Roche and wife Deborah, purchased Lifeguard from Secomerica and moved the company’s headquarters from St. Petersburg to their home city of Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Lifeguard Air Ambulance saw a 56% increase in its customer base in the first year of private ownership and bought its first aircraft. Over the next 20 years, Lifeguard continued this positive growth with a small fleet of aircraft that include two King Air aircraft, two Lear Jets and a Citation Bravo Jet. April 1997 saw the opening of Lifeguard’s second air operation in Birmingham, Alabama, and today Lifeguard Air Ambulance provides quality national and international air medical transport for critical and non-critical patients via mobile intensive care units aboard fixed wing aircraft.
Lifeguard Transportation Service/Lifeguard Ambulance Service began its full service ground operation in New Orleans, Louisiana in November of 1998. In January of 2001, Lifeguard added its second full service transport company in Birmingham, Alabama. In January 2002, Lifeguard proudly welcomed its third ground operation to Pensacola, Florida and opened its next ground ambulance operation in Nashville, Tennessee on April 1, 2004. On January l3, 2006, Lifeguard acquired an ambulance service, which had operations in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and assimilated those operations into the Lifeguard team; these 2006 additions almost doubled Lifeguard's operation site size, employees and customer base. In 2007, Lifeguard won a County 911 contract and began its Santa Rosa County Florida 911 service operation. Lifeguard ushered in 2008 with a venture into Costa Rica, making it Lifeguard’s first international base of operation with 8 Emergency Care Clinics and 15 ground units. In the fall of 2008, Lifeguard expanded into Mobile, Alabama and began serving several communities in lower Alabama. The summer of 2011 was another growing time for Lifeguard, with the opening of the operation in Houston, Texas and the County 911 Contract in Columbia County, Florida. Lifeguard is continuously seeking opportuities for growth. In March of 2012, Lifeguard opened another operation in Bay County, Forida. At every location, Lifeguard continually strives to give its clients and patients compassionate patient care partnered with exceptional customer service.
Lifeguard Air Ambulance, Inc. and Lifeguard Transportation Service, Inc. together operate (5) five aircraft and (125) one hundred twenty-five ground vehicles in four states and two countries. The team members consist of over 750 medical and non-medical personnel - pilots, aircraft and vehicle mechanics, EMTs, Paramedics, Respiratory Therapists, Registered Nurses, Physicians, and Administration and Billing Staff.
Lifeguard's mission is to provide only the highest quality patient care and comfort available in the industry today. The company's success can be directly attributed to the dedication of Lifeguard team members and their commitment to that mission. As they head into the future, Lifeguard sets its compass for continued growth, unsurpassed customer service and professional satisfaction for its customers, patients and team members.
“Around the Corner or Around the World Lifeguard is Always at Your Service”
