South Texas Emergency Care Foundation
1705 Vermont St. Harlingen, TX 78550
Phone (956) 364-2711
The air medical division of STEC is Valley AirCare. It is the only organization in South Texas to offer safe, quality helicopter and fixed wing services. In fact, Valley AirCare is currently the only emergency air ambulance service based within 6,244 square miles. The Foundation is accredited by the "Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems" and is the only accredited emergency medical service program south of San Antonio and one of only 111 accredited programs in the US and Canada.
Valley AirCare Fixed Wing Division Valley AirCare Fixed Wing Division provides aeromedical services to and from the Rio Grande Valley to any point in the continental United States, Mexico and Canada. Our flight medical credentials meet and exceed all requirements of the Aeromedical industry and our staff is committed to providing the highest level of patient care. We provide them with excellent, professional care from the first initial contact with us until delivery to their medical facility or residence.
Valley AirCare Rotorwing Division provides rapid helicopter transportation throughout South Texas within a 150-mile radius of Harlingen. Although its primary mission is to provide scene response to critically ill and injured patients, it is also available on request for interfacility transfer of critical patients. The area is largely rural and consists of vast stretches of rangeland and unpopulated areas. In the case of South Padre Island, traffic and weather can make access to timely health care difficult at certain times of the year. Travel by ground to the nearest medical facility can take 30 minutes or more. Valley AirCare can reduce these transport times by one-half to two-thirds.