Manna and Tulsa Fire Department Demonstrate Air Delivery for Emergency Response

Manna Air Delivery joined the Tulsa Fire Department during Tulsa Tech Week to demonstrate how air delivery can support first responders during an emergency.

The demonstration showed how Manna's aircraft could carry trauma kits, defibrillators and other urgent supplies to the scene of an incident within minutes, giving crews on the ground a faster way to get the equipment they need.

Emergency response has been part of Manna's plan from the beginning. Before coming to Tulsa, Manna ran trials with the National Ambulance Service that delivered defibrillators to cardiac arrest scenes in under four minutes.

Vincent Murray, Community and Stakeholder Relations Manager at Manna Air Delivery, said: "It's always been part of the plan. We see this technology as only a positive thing for the community. Helping the Tulsa Fire Department deliver emergency care quicker and faster, whether that's refilling trucks at a major incident or getting an extra defibrillator to a scene, is an essential service. That's what we want to be part of."

How it would work

An emergency air delivery would follow the same path as any other call. The call comes into dispatch, and the Tulsa Fire Department contacts Manna directly when trucks can't reach a scene fast enough or crews have run short of supplies.

From the moment a call is received, a Manna aircraft can complete pre-flight checks in around 90 seconds and reach a location within a two-mile radius in two to three minutes. That puts urgent supplies on the ground roughly four and a half minutes after the call.

Building the network

Today, Manna aircraft operate within two miles of the Cherry Street base. As Manna opens more bases across the Tulsa metro area, that coverage grows into a network that can serve more neighborhoods and respond faster.

Tulsa was chosen for its skilled workforce, ease of doing business and progress on digitizing the airspace. The welcome from the city and its residents has been second to none.

Manna also plans to work with local nonprofits as operations expand. We know the community has questions, and we're here to answer them. We're not here to take anyone by surprise.