posted September 16, 2024

Emergency air medical service hosts special event to recognize four and a half decades of service to the people of eastern Oklahoma.  

Tulsa, OK – Sept. 16, 2024 – In honor of providing 45 years of lifesaving emergency air medical care, Tulsa Life Flight held a special event on Sept. 13 at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel to mark the notable anniversary. The event, which was held in conjunction with the Saint Francis Trauma Symposium to honor the program’s founding history with the hospital, brought together past and present crew members, as well as local medical, EMS, and first responder leaders. 

“If I could only say one word about Tulsa Life Flight, it would be QUALITY,” said Bradley Reed, director of Mesta EMS. “The mechanics, pilots, and clinicians have certainly set the standard for excellence. When your Emergency Medical Service needs a helicopter, or your family member is experiencing an emergency, there is nothing more beautiful and reassuring than the sight of Tulsa Life Flight landing and knowing that your family member will be given the best care available.” 

Founded in 1979 as a joint effort with Saint Francis Hospital and Hillcrest Medical Center, Tulsa Life Flight was the 13^th air ambulance program in the nation. In 1984, it became one of the first to carry blood products outside of a hospital, and to date, the program has transported over 54,000 patients. 

“Our pilots, nurses, paramedics, and mechanics make Tulsa Life Flight different from other air ambulance services,” said Johnny Dobson, account executive with Air Methods, the parent company of Tulsa Life Flight. “We have always been the best in the business at taking care of the citizens of Oklahoma. Forty-five years accident free isn’t by mistake – it is by excellence.”    

Approximately 75 guests, including representatives from Saint Francis Hospital, Hillcrest Medical Center, and Ascension St. John Medical Center, enjoyed sharing memories and refreshments at the event.

With bases in Pryor and Okmulgee, Tulsa Life Flight is part of Air Methods, the leading air medical provider in the United States. Each base is equipped with an EC130 helicopter ideally suited for the weather and terrain of eastern Oklahoma. These flying ICUs carry the equipment and medications needed to save lives in emergency situations, along with industry-leading flight nurses and paramedics who are trained to provide critical care to patients suffering from trauma due to accidents, cardiac and stroke events, high-risk obstetric emergencies, and more. They carry blood products on board and that can be administered in flight to patients suffering from severe blood loss and at risk for hemorrhagic shock. 

“I am so blessed and honored to lead this team of the highest quality providers,” said Teresa Snell, area manager with Air Methods. “Our standard of offering excellence in care was set in stone from the beginning. Everyone understands the focus of providing the highest level of performance available. Excellent air medical care involves much more than just placing critical patients in an aircraft and flying fast. It is important that they receive the highest level of emergency care during that transport process.” 

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities it serves and is in-network with most major health insurance providers across the country for emergency air medical services. Additionally, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability while making pre-paid air medical membership unnecessary.