NORWICH – The Norwich Fire EMS responded to local business Tuesday after an employee collapsed in a stairwell. He was later airlifted to a Binghamton hospital.

Ambulance crews rushed to Sheffield Bio-Science at around 1:15 p.m. yesterday along State Highway 320 in the Town of Norwich after an employee was found by co-workers lying unconscious in a stairwell.

Norwich Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo said the incident was the first to require Norwich to call upon the Life Net of New York helicopter, which began operations from their base at the Sidney Airport in February.

Chenango County Emergency Management Deputy Director Matthew L. Beckwith reported the close proximity of the helicopter has cut response times in half for air evacuations in Chenango County.

The plant’s Global Quality Assurance and Regulatory Director, Frank Crawford, said the company had been in contact with the unidentified employee since the incident and that he seemed to be recovering well.