Written by Brian J. Grefe
On October 18, 2019, the Central Wisconsin Joint Airport Board and Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transportation signed a long-term agreement to locate Spirit’s air medical transportations services at CWA. Spirit has a long and successful history of providing critical care transport for patients and communities throughout central and northern Wisconsin.
November 18 marked Spirit’s first day being based at CWA!
With this move, Spirit serves our region and beyond with:
- 2 helicopters (located in Mosinee and Woodruff)
- 5 ground bases with 12 ambulances and intercept SUVs (located strategically in key communities)
- 1 fixed wing airplane (located in Arbor Vitae)
Spirit holds the medical transport industry’s most respected and highest level of accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). Spirit comes to CWA with a highly trained crew consisting of first responders, nurses, pilots, and mechanics. The operation will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Initially Spirit’s air medical transportation services will be housed at the airport’s Fixed Base Operator (FBO) – Central Wisconsin Aviation — and the Mosinee Business Park. This temporary housing will only be until Spirit can construct a new, state of the art, air medical hangar on the airport’s grounds.
Construction of the nearly 75,000-square-foot hangar will begin in November, and Spirit management anticipates that the new facility will be fully operational in August of 2020. The hangar is sized to accommodate 2 medical helicopters and a fixed wing, King Air–sized aircraft with associated office space and crew quarters.
It’s clear that Spirit is investing in its future at CWA!
The Central Wisconsin Airport and Spirit Medical Transportation have an ideal partnership. CWA is perfectly situated to accommodate Spirit’s 24-hour operation. This is especially true if and when Spirit operates a fixed wing aircraft.
CWA enjoys 2 commercially sized runways with world-class snow removal that can truly accommodate all aircraft regardless of weather and wind direction. When considering the instrument approaches, the air traffic control tower, 24-hour airport staffing, fire-fighting, and security, it would be difficult to dream of a better arrangement!
The entire CWA campus is thrilled to have Spirit as a new neighbor. In the same way a rising tide lifts all boats, this exciting addition of Spirit to CWA’s grounds will benefit all airport tenants… A 24-hour medical presence will serve all, and the helicopter training and missions will increase tower counts. What’s more, adding jobs and employees to the airport will likely stimulate additional development at CWA and increase our Blind Rooster Kitchen + Bar patronage (see a menu here).
In return, the airport will be able to better serve Spirit, by keeping rates low and investing in the public areas of the airfield.
It’s truly a WIN-WIN!
Brian J. Grefe
Airport Director | Central Wisconsin Airport
Brian has been serving as Airport Director at Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) since February 2016. Prior to CWA, he worked at airports in Aspen, CO, and in Duluth, MN. With his wife and two sons, he is now living in Rib Mountain. Email Brian Grefe.
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