James, who identified himself as the local membership manager for Reach Helicopter, asked the Imperial County Board of Supervisors Sept. 30 to consider offering discounted membership as an employee benefit, ideally through payroll deduction.

James said membership would make air-ambulance flights zero out-of-pocket for flown patients and noted that air-medical bills can be substantial, citing examples of costs as high as $190,000 for a single flight. He said membership typically costs about $60–$99 a year and covers family members and broad geographic areas; Reach Helicopter also offers an optional 'flight home' service for higher coverage that would repatriate patients within the United States and an international option.

Why it matters: County employees and residents who require air transport can face large medical bills. Offering a payroll-deduction membership would give employees an option to reduce individual financial risk for emergency air transports, the speaker said.

Board response: A county staff member told the board that, with direction, staff could meet with James and Reach Helicopter to gather more information and return with a recommendation. The chair and board members asked no substantive policy questions on the record. The clerk recorded that James left contact information in the brochure on the agenda packet.

Action taken: Staff offered to follow up with Reach Helicopter and bring information back to the board for consideration; no formal commitment of county funds or immediate policy change was made.

What remains: Staff will meet with the company if the board provides direction; any program or payroll-deduction offering would require further review by human resources and executive staff and would be subject to board approval.