Western New York nonprofit working closely with Town of Wellsville
From Mercy Flight, pictured at the Wellsville Airport with local officials, EMS leaders, and pilots
BUFFALO, N.Y. (May 14, 2025) – Mercy Flight proudly announces a part-time, seasonal expansion of its service to Allegany County beginning tomorrow. New York’s pioneer air ambulance company is adding resources to cover a 12-hour service period based in Wellsville, NY from Thursday through Sunday of each week.
Mercy Flight’s President, Margaret Ferrentino states, “This is an exciting move for Mercy Flight as we look to enhance service during times of high demand. Positioning an aircraft in Wellsville will not only reduce response time to the immediate area but will provide better access to emergency healthcare in the rural areas throughout the southern tier. Our team is looking forward to better serving those who live, work, and play in Allegany County and its surrounding area.”
According to Town of Wellsville Supervisor Shad Allsworth, “The Town of Wellsville is very grateful for the commitment from Mercy Flight to invest in the safety of our region. As recreational activities swing into action across the Southern Tier, adding another blanket of protection for our residents and visitors is critical in ensuring the continued growth of our tourism industry, while also providing further access to medical care to all full-time residents. A big shout out to Chris Martelle, Town of Wellsville Emergency Management Coordinator, for helping to facilitate this opportunity. Many thanks to the Town of Wellsville Board and Airport Manager for their support in this endeavor, as well as to the Allegany County Dispatch and Emergency Management teams that are working to coordinate dispatch, response, and training protocols with local EMS for safe and efficient utilization of the Mercy Flight team.”
Mr. Martelle, who proudly carries the EMS torch passed on by his father Dan, states, “We are excited about this project with Mercy Flight. I would like to thank the entire team that put this plan in motion. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Mercy Flight and seeing where it will take us in the future.”
Scott Wooton, Mercy Flight’s Executive Vice President adds, “This is a big step for us. We hope to someday establish a permanent base of operations in Wellsville, and this initiative is the first phase. When the weather cooperates, we’re going to be sending our Bell 429 and a dedicated crew Thursday through Sunday to support the Wellsville area’s EMS system wherever it’s needed most.”
Mercy Flight completed its first mission on September 19, 1981. Since that time, it has safely completed nearly 32,500 air patient missions, including on-scene emergencies and interfacility hospital transfers throughout Western New York and beyond.
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Mercy Flight Inc. is an independent, nonprofit provider of medical transport services. It began in 1981
as the first medically dedicated air ambulance service in New York State. Today, the organization
operates helicopter bases in Buffalo (headquarters), Olean, Springville, and Batavia.
Mercy Flight’s ground ambulance division, Mercy Flight EMS, provides service for Genesee County,
Niagara County, Orleans County, the Town of Hamlin, and the Town of Concord and Village of Springville.
Together, the organization’s employees, now nearly 300 strong, support the mission of being
“A BEACON OF HOPE…WHEN MINUTES MATTER”. For more information, visit www.mercyflight.org.
