Hospital Wing 1 - Memphis, TN

09/22/2026

🔧🚁
As we continue the countdown to our 40th anniversary celebration, today we’re spotlighting the mechanics who keep Hospital Wing flying safely. These guys work countless hours, come in at odd times of the night when we need them, and are always pushing to keep us safe in the sky. They are the ones behind the scenes making sure we have all the right parts and pieces to make a flight.

Here at hospital wing we truly are with each person being an intricate part of the operation.

Our maintenance team does an incredible job and they are a huge part of what we do!! When you see a Hospital Wing helicopter flying, don’t just think of the crew on board but think about how who all it took to get them in the sky.

From routine inspections to the countless details most of us never see, their hard work and dedication help ensure our crews and patients make it to our destinations safely.

We truly couldn’t do any of this without our maintenance team!Thank you for everything you do behind the scenes to keep us in the air.
Here’s some photos from the past and from the present of our great guys!!

09/16/2026

🚁 HONORING A HOSPITAL WING LEGEND, PHIL SCRUGGS

As Hospital Wing celebrates 40 years of serving the MidSouth, we would be remiss not to pause and honor one of the men who helped build the foundation of that legacy Phillip Rudolph Scruggs Sr.

Born October 20, 1938, in Sardis, Mississippi, Phil lived a life defined by service to his country, his community, his family, and ultimately to Hospital Wing.

Phil spent more than 26 years with the Memphis Police Department, serving in the department’s helicopter division and ultimately achieving the rank of Lieutenant. His commitment to service extended to the United States Army, including a tour in Vietnam, where he received numerous military decorations recognizing his service and bravery.

In 1978, Phil demonstrated that courage in one of the most defining moments of his career. During a hostage situation at Clark Tower in Memphis, he volunteered to assist in the rescue of two citizens being held hostage. During the encounter, Phil was struck by gunfire three times.

But Phil’s story of service didn't end there.

In 1986, the same year Hospital Wing began its journey in Memphis, Phil joined the Hospital Wing family as Chief Pilot. For the next 26 years, he played an instrumental role in building and shaping the program.

Phil wasn't simply a pilot. He was one of the people who helped establish the culture, professionalism, and aviation foundation upon which Hospital Wing was built. His experience in law enforcement aviation and the military brought a unique perspective to an emerging aeromedical program, and his leadership helped guide Hospital Wing through its formative years.

While serving Hospital Wing, Phil continued his military career with the Mississippi National Guard, ultimately attaining the rank of Brigadier General before retiring after more than 40 years of military service.

Behind all of those accomplishments was a husband, father, and family man. Phil and his beloved wife, Bonita, shared 65 years of marriage and raised two sons, Phillip Jr. and Lee.

For Hospital Wing, Phil Scruggs represents something bigger than a title or a list of accomplishments.

He represents legacy.

He was there when Hospital Wing was just beginning. He helped lay the groundwork for what would become a 40 year tradition of caring for the communities we serve.

As we celebrate where Hospital Wing has been and look toward where we're going, we remember the people who came before us and made that journey possible.

Thank you, Phil, for your service, your leadership, your courage, and your contribution to the Hospital Wing family.

Your fingerprints are part of this program's history, and your legacy continues to fly with us.

Fly high friend, you will be missed.

If anyone has pictures of Mr. Phil, please share them we would love to see them.

🚁 40 Years of Legacy.
One Team. One Goal. Saving Lives.

We remember. We honor. We carry it forward.

09/14/2026

40 years of Hospital Wing and what a decade these last ten years have been! 🚁✨
Looking back from where we stood at our 30th anniversary in 2016 to hitting our big 40th milestone this year, the 2016–2026 chapter has been all about leveling up for our Mid-South communities.

We kicked off the decade upgrading our fleet with our second Airbus H130, giving our crews wider cabins and better capabilities to treat patients in transit.

By late 2019, we made a massive clinical leap forward by stocking packed red blood cells and liquid plasma at every single active base, giving our teams the power to start lifesaving transfusions right in the air.

As the years rolled on, we officially joined forces with Med-Trans Corp and the AirMedCare Network family in 2021, strengthening our support network while keeping our heart rooted right here locally.

We extended our footprint even further in December 2025 with the opening of our 24/7 base at the Sergeant Lee Russell-Carroll County Airport, bringing critical care response times down for our rural neighbors.

And most recently, we pushed pre-hospital medicine even further by becoming the first air ambulance service in the region to carry Whole Blood on board every flight.

Whether it’s new helicopters, new bases, or advanced blood products, every change over the last ten years came down to one thing: giving our patients the absolute best chance when seconds count.

Huge thank you to our incredible flight crews, ground EMS partners, hospital teams, and the communities who have trusted us for 40 years. We couldn't do this without you! ❤️🩶

‼️Employees and Alumni‼️
Don’t forget to register for our 40th Anniversary Celebration on October 16th . The celebration will be held at the Wing 1 base in Memphis. Register with the QR code or link below in the comments.

09/04/2026

2006–2016🚁🚨 A decade of growth, change, and countless lives touched from the air.

From 2006 to 2016, Hospital Wing evolved significantly. In 2008, flight paramedics became part of the Wing’s crews, bringing expanded critical-care expertise to the patients we served. During this time, the fleet continued to grow and transition toward the EC130/H130, providing crews with more space, improved capabilities, and an added focus on safety.

⭐️2008 Oxford, MS base opened.
⭐️2010 Selmer, TN base opened, which later became Carroll County, TN base.
⭐️2012 Memphis base expanded to be able to have more room for education, maintenance, and crews.
⭐️2013 Jonesboro, AR base opened.

By 2016, Hospital Wing had grown into a regional air medical system serving communities across the Mid-South, operating multiple aircraft and multiple bases.

‼️Employees and Alumni‼️
Don’t forget to register for our 40th Anniversary Celebration on October 16th . The celebration will be held at the Wing 1 base in Memphis. Register with the QR code or link below in the comments.

08/28/2026

1996 marked 10 years of service for Hospital Wing. Those 10 years were incredibly invaluable to the things to come for the next 10 years. The successes of Hospital Wing were amazing, so amazing that in 2004 Hospital Wing opened the second base just east of Memphis in Brownsville, TN.

As Hospital Wing continued to grow, not only by staff but by bases, they continued to be able to reach more of the area and have more resources available to respond.

At this time the monthly average flight volume was anywhere between 175-200 flights a month!

The Brownsville base is located at 1601 Welch Street. It sits directly behind the ambulance service for Haywood County. Hospital Wing and Haywood EMS have fostered a strong, collaborative relationship.

Hospital Wing Alumni and Employees🚑🚨
Don’t forget to sign up our 40th Anniversary Celebration at our Memphis Base on October 16th at 4:00pm. Use the QR Code or link below in the comments to sign up!

08/21/2026

🚁🚨 Attention Hospital Wing Alumni and Employees

We’re 8 weeks away from our 40th Anniversary Celebration at our Memphis Base on October 16th at 4:00pm Don’t forget to use the QR Code or Link below in the comments to sign up!

As we gear up to celebrate Hospital Wing’s 40th anniversary we’re looking back at the groundbreaking achievements from our very first decade:
➡️In February of 1987, the Memphis hanger was completed and the crews began to stay and work out of the new hanger! The crews continued to grow by learning new protocols and skills as well as in numbers of crew members!
➡️By July of 1987 more than 900 flights had been completed.
➡️In September of 1987 Hospital Wing began publishing a seasonal magazine/newsletter titled 'TaleWinds.' This helped keep the local area informed of all the amazing things that were happening within the service. Including the new advanced skills that were able to be performed by the clinicians on board the aircraft.
➡️By the early 90s 3 A-Stars had been adding to the fleet with the tail numbers of 351HW, 352HW, and 353HW. These helicopters allowed for more room to care for patients and were equipped with the top of the line safety equipment including autopilot, dual GPS systems, and color weather radar.

We are proud of the legacy that has been laid out before us and we are proud to continue in the footsteps of everything that made this program what it is today!

08/14/2026

🚁Calling All Hospital Wing Crew & Alumni!🚁
40 years ago, a vision brought our community together. Four major hospitals: LeBonheur Children's Hospital, Methodist Hospitals of Memphis, The Regional Medical Center, and Baptist Memorial Hospital joined forces to launch Hospital Wing!
On July 1st, 1986, the pager tones broke for our very first interfacility transport: “Wing 1 interfacility transport Methodist North to Methodist Central”.
From our original team and those initial Bell 222-UT helicopters to every team member on duty today, you are the heartbeat of this program. Whether you flew with us decades ago or are on shift this week, your dedication built this legacy.

🎉 Save the date for our Employee & Alumni 40th Anniversary Celebration!
🗓 When: October 16th at 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Hospital Wing 1-Memphis
📲 How to Attend: Scan the QR code in the comments to RSVP and secure your spot. If you have difficulty with the code please send us a message and let us know you plan to attend!
Let’s reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate four decades of critical care in the air!

07/15/2026

Thank you to Chief Reeves at Munford Fire Department for having us out to visit the kids at Fire Camp. As a bonus we got to hang out with our friends from Priority Ambulance-Tipton, Tipton County Emergency Communications District & Covington-Tipton County Emergency Management Agency
One team...One goal...Saving lives

07/08/2026

Happy International Paramedics Day Hospital Wing 6 Carroll Co TN; We are fortunate to have these great paramedics on our team at Wing 6!

07/08/2026

We have some of the very best and we have the privilege to respond to scenes and work along side some of the best in the business who are responding to emergencies in the Mid-South everyday!

On this day, we celebrate the commitment of our ground and flight paramedics, prepared to respond when every second matters. Their courage and compassion help keep the communities they serve safe and supported. We deeply appreciate all that you do!