NATCHEZ — Air Evac Lifeteam recently honored its Natchez base and two of its employees with regional awards.

The base, located at 10 Roux 61 Drive, opened in May 2011. It was named the 2014 Region 4 Community Service Base of the Year.

The community service base of the year award is presented to the base in the Air Evac Lifeteam system that has shown outstanding community service in its market area.

Jay Chappelle, regional director of base operations, said the focus of the base is teamwork.

“The number of public relations events has remained impressive throughout this base’s history,” Chappelle said.

“Local referral agencies have accepted and embraced this community concept.”

Russell Knight, flight paramedic and base clinical lead for the Natchez base, was awarded the region 4 base clinical lead of the year.

The base clinical lead of the year award is presented to a flight nurse or paramedic who demonstrates accountability, initiative, integrity, endurance, enthusiasm, dedication, and a commitment to his or her own personal and professional growth as well as a commitment to the growth and development of colleagues and peers.

“In addition to the success in his position at his assigned base, Russell frequently reaches out to new base clinical leads to offer his assistance as they learn the job,” Chappelle said.

The 2014 base pilot supervisor of the year also hails from the Natchez base. Brett McCloud has been with the base since March 2013.

The base pilot supervisor of the year is presented to base pilot supervisors who lead by example, exhibit excellent communication skills, promote a safety culture, mentor pilots with lesser experience and build team unity. Regional Director of Flight Operations Tony Womble said McCloud is respected by all crew members at the base for his level of professionalism and willingness to participate as part of a team.

“He is very safety conscious, and due to his commitment to safety all of the medical personnel love to fly with him,” Womble said.

Air Evac Lifeteam, an air medical service, provides rapid access to definitive health care for those who live in medically underserved areas. Flight crews, consisting of a pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to the scene of an emergency or provide transportation between medical facilities.

Air Evac Lifeteam currently operates 115 bases in 15 states. For more information, visit lifeteam.net.