Real ID required for companions on medevac flights

I hope you are having a great start to your summer. I wanted to send an important update about a policy affecting our medevac flights.

In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) federal mandate for REAL ID compliance that is now in effect, all individuals accompanying patients on our medevac flights (significant others, family members, friends, caregivers, etc) will be required to present REAL ID-compliant identification. Please note: This requirement applies to all patient companions, not to patients themselves. The most commonly seen are a REAL ID-compliant driver's license (marked with a star in the upper corner), an enhanced driver's license, a US passport, or a foreign passport, among many others. 

 When you call our dispatch center for transport and provide information about the patient's companion, our communication center specialist will remind you of this requirement. We would appreciate your assistance in communicating these requirements to patients and their families as early as possible in the transport planning process to help prevent any delays or complications during transport.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you.

Elise 

Elise Blasco, MBA, BSN/RN, CFRN, CEN 

Assistant Director of Operations | Airlift Northwest