Our 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 1986 Pinellas Ambulance Service/Lifeguard was purchased by Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) who operated 600 ambulance services across the nation. In late 1989 HCA sold its ambulance services to Secomerica. 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 Pensacola, Florida.

Lifeguard Air Ambulance, Inc. saw a 56% increase in its customer base in the first year of private ownership and bought it's first aircraft. Over the next 20 years, Lifeguard has continued this positive growth with a small fleet of aircraft that include a Cessna 421, two King Air aircraft, two Lear Jets and a Citation Bravo Jet. April 1997 saw the opening of Lifeguard’s air operation in Birmingham, Alabama and today Lifeguard Air Ambulance continues to provide quality national & international medical transport for critical and non-critical patients via mobile intensive care units aboard our aircraft..

Lifeguard Transportation Service, Inc. began its full service ground operations in New Orleans, Louisiana in November of 1998 and 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. In February 2003 Lifeguard greeted a fourth service in Dallas, Texas and we proudly opened our 5^th ground ambulance operation in Nashville, Tennessee in April 2004. In January 2006 we acquired Medic One Ambulance Service which had operations in Nashville, Knoxville & Chattanooga, Tennessee & assimilate their operations into the Lifeguard team. 2006 also saw the opening of Lifeguard’s newest operation in Atlanta, Georgia ; these 2006 additions almost doubled Lifeguards operation site size, employees and customer base. In 2008, Lifeguard began operrtions in Mobile, AL. At every location Lifeguard continually strives to give our clients exceptional customer service partnered with compassionate patient care.

Together the Lifeguard companies operate (6) six aircraft and (125) one hundred twenty-five ground vehicles. Our team members consist of over 700+ medical & non-medical personnel - pilots, aircraft & vehicle mechanics, EMT’s, Paramedics, Respiratory Therapists, Registered Nurses, Physicians, and Administration & Billing Staff. 

Lifeguard's mission is to provide the highest quality patient care and comfort available in the industry. Lifeguard is striving to change the face of medical transport, by empowering its employees with a positive can do attitude; by offering its customers a variety of transport options; and by demanding that excellence and quality service be attained in every aspect of the company. 

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“Around the Corner or Around the World Lifeguard is Always at Your Service”