Intermountain Life Flight, Classic Air Medical celebrate 200,000 lives saved by helicopter
Sep 14, 2023, 7:01 PM | Updated: 10:29 pm
MURRAY, Utah — Intermountain Health and Classic Air Medical celebrated decades of service Thursday.
Past patients, pilots, and first responders gathered on the helipad at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray to mark those decades of service.
“Life Flight and Classic Air Medical make up 31 air bases with 42 aircraft and constitute the largest not-for-profit medical air transportation in the country,” said Rob Allen, Intermountain Health president and CEO.
The group celebrated a milestone of saving and helping almost 200,000 lives.
Pilots and patients gather to celebrate Life Flight and Classic Air Medical’s decades of service with their helicopters. (KSL TV)
“I don’t think that we could ever accurately calculate the true impact, that these services have had on our community,” Kelly Sparks from the Davis County Sheriff’s Office said. “It is great and it is far-reaching.”
Christina Michels credited an air ambulance for saving her life.
“I lost my footing one last time, closed my eyes, and prepared to fall,” Michels said.
She is thankful to be alive after a chopper hoisted her off Mount Timpanogas after a bad fall last year.
“They lifted me, they flew me out, and for that I’m grateful,” she said.
Jake Blackwelder’s daughter had a 30-minute seizure while camping and needed advanced medical care. He’s forever grateful for Classic Air Med’s swift response.
“For my family to be treated as I strive to treat my patients was comforting beyond measure,” Blackwelder said. “Gratitude does not match the feeling I have.”
