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!ndian Valley Record Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 3A
Care Flight marks 30 years of service
This year marks the 30th an-
niversary of Care Flight pro-
viding helicopter air ambu-
lance service in northern
Nevada and northern Califor-
nia. Care Flight has always
been considered one of the na-
tion's elite helicopter air am-
bulance providers despite the
immense change the industry
has seen over the past 30 years.
The concept of an air ambu-
lance was tested as early as
World War I, and helicopters
were used to transport the in-
jured from the battlefield in
World War II and the Korean
War. In the Vietnam War, the
use of helicopters as ambu-
lances, along with specially
trained medical corpsmen, led
U.S. researchers to conclude
that servicemen wounded in
battle had better survival rates
than motorists injured on Cali-
fornia freeways. It became clear
that reduced transfer time to
advanced medical facilities
with medical care given during
the transport made a significant
difference in survival rates.
The first civilian hospital-
based helicopter air ambu-
lance, "Flight For Life," start-
ed at St. Anthony's Hospital
in Denver, Cola:, in 1972.
Flight nurses Jane Miller and
Margaret Tale began flying
with Flight for Life in 1975.
Care Flight was born in 1981
when Miller accepted the po-
sition of chief flight nurse,
and, along with Tale, moved
to Reno, Nev., to start a much-
needed helicopter program to
service the vast rural area of
northern Nevada and north-
eastern California.
Both Tale and Miller are still
with the program 30 years lat-
er. Tale has also filled the roles
as the program's vice president
and chief nursing officer, but
has gone back to flying full-
time as a flight nurse. Miller is
currently the program's vice
president of special projects,
overseeing numerous accredi-
tations and standards.
Originally, Care Flight was a
shared service between
Washoe Medical Center and St.
Mary's Hospital, flying with
just one pilot and one nurse.
Care Flight was a single air-
craft program flying the
A6rospatiale Alouette III, the
same aircraft flown at Flight
for Life. The Alouette was ide-
al for the high altitudes of Den-
ver and the Reno/Tahoe area,
as it was designed to fly in the
Swiss Alps. By 1986 Care
Flight was the busiest single
medical helicopter program in
the country, op'erating 24
hours a day, 356 days a year,
and transporting an average of
1,200 patients annually.
In 1994, helicopter manufac-
turer McDonnell Douglas
asked Care Flight to be the test
program for their twin engine
MD 900 for emergency medical
service (EMS) use. The MD 900
was much faster than the
Alouette and had more room
to accommodate the addition
of a second nurse, emergency
medical technician or para-
medic. Care Flight flew the
MD 900 for 10 years and in 2004
switched to the high perfor-
mance American Eurocopter
B3 AStar, which Care Flight
still operates today.
The AStar is perfectly
equipped to fly in the Nevada
desert and Sierra Nevada. Ex-
cellent at flying in high heat
and elevation, the AStar's
biggest claim to fame is that it
is the only aircraft to success-
fully land atop Mount Everest.
In 1999, Northern Nevada
was growing and significant
populations were emerging
outside the Reno and Carson
City areas, which prompted
Care Flight to open a second
base, Care Flight 2, in Gard-
nerville, Nev. The addition of
Care Flight 2 provided twice
the capacity and reduced the
response time to areas south-
east of Reno and to South Lake
Tahoe and Alpine County. Ini-
tially, the base in Gardnerville
was staffed 12 hours per shift
during the day. In 2001 the
base was extended to a 24-hour
base and remains that way to-
day, staging out of the Carson
Valley Medical Center.
In 2003 Care Flight expanded
again by adding Care Flight 3
in Truckee, providing faster
response to Plumas, Lassen,
Placer and Nevada counties as
well as increasing the overall
patient capacity of Care Flight.
As with the Gardnervllle base,
Truckee began as a 12-hour
base but by 2006 the need for
the service dictated the exten-
sion to a 24-hour operation.
Care Flight 3 is stationed at the
Truckee Tahoe Airport.
Care Flight, since its incep-
tion, has always been vigilant
when it comes to safety, perfor-
mance and clinical excellence.
The program cuts no corners
nor spares any cost when it
comes to making the program
as safe and effective as possi-
ble. In addition to the high-end
aircraft, Care Flight is on the
front edge of safety equipment
and protocol adaptation.
"Safety is our No. 1 priority be-
cause we can't provide excel>
tional patient care if you don't
operate safely," said Tale.
Care Flight is well ahead of
the National Transportation
Safety Board's recommenda-
tions for medical helicopter
operations. Care Flight has
satellite phones in each air-
craft to ensure another com-
munication option -- especial-
ly needed when flying in rural
Nevada and other areas where
cell service and even radio re-
peaters can be inconsistent.
Care Flight has also been fly-
ing with night vision goggles
since 2005, and in 2008, Care
Flight again upgraded the
safety equipment in the air-
craft with the addition of ter-
rain avoidance and warning
systems (TAWS), as well as
dual moving GPS systems
with live weather feeds, and
upgraded satellite phones.
Care Flight has come a long
way in 30 years and is proud
to be a permanent fixture in
so many northern Nevada
and northeastern California
communities. The trademark
blue and silver of Care
Flight's helicopters and uni-
forms has become a sign of
hope at hospitals and medical
scenes across the region.
Today, Care Flight employs
21 critical care flight nurses
and 12 critical care flight
paramedics, and holds the top
accreditations in the busi-
ness. In addition to the med-
ical staff, Care Flight con-
tracts with Air Methods Cor-
poration, one of the largest
air medical transport compa-
nies in the country, to furnish
the program's aviation com-
ponents with 13 very experi-
enced and skilled pilots as
well as five full-time mechan-
ics and an FAA certificate.
County honors John Sheehan
)11
Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Lori Simpson presents John
Sheehan with a certificate of appreciation during the board's
meeting Tuesday, Dec. 20. Many community members showed
up tO praise Sheehan'for h|s Community involvement and
accomplishmentsas tl~ex~cutive director of Plumas
Corporation. Sheehan is retiring
from Plumas Corporation after
nearly 20 years. "We all agree
that you have been a valuable
partner to our county," Simpson
told Sheehan. "On behalf of the
Plumas County Board of O
Supervisors and the county of
Plumas, we would like to present
you with a certificate of
appreciation and recognition to 0
acknowledge your years of service
to the citizens of Plumas County,
and wishing you a happy, and
well-deserved, retirement.',
Photo by Dan McDonald
lloliday Nemorial Lights
In loving memory and forever in our hearts
Reneen Brown
Herman O. Brown
June Cooper
Shirley Porter
Ken Giles
George O'Shanick
Ariel Paladini
Patricia Butcher
Elmira Atkinson
Carl Atkinson
Johanna Pearce
Margaret Berge
Ruby Jeffrey
Theda Finley
Lew Capehart
Betty Lloyd
Louis Rambke
Vernon Gorman
The Gakles
Brian Johnson
Anna Lucille Stead
Pat Flint
Judy Johnson (2)
Jack Jackson
Helen Ericks
Floyd Clayton Neer
Clayton Floyd Neer (2)
Phil McClellan
Hattie McClellan
Albert Norberg
Leslie Bridgman
Dorothy Rich
Ethyl Norman
Bob Peck
Hazel Bridgman
Arnold Bridgman
Dennis Ashburn
Elizabeth Ortiz
Levi Kemp
Wanda Kemp
David Kemp
Glen D. Anderson
Roy M. Beeson
Michael David Butcher
Harry Butcher
Mercedes Ruiz
George Cambron
Dr. Clarence J. Forsberg
Michael Lee Murchison
Ruby Fosberg
Miriam Weber
Tom Weber
Avril Weber
Sandy Archer
Dorothy Miles
Wesley J. •Miles St.
Richard Strecker
Mac Garman
Dean Garman
Don Stokes
Dolores Stokes
Bryan Back
Frances Myers
Jack Myers
,Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce
Care Flight enjoys the con-
tinued support of Renown
Regional Medial Center, the
Truckee Tahoe Airport and
the Carson Valley Medical
Center, where its three bases
are located, as well as partner
hospitals Northern Nevada
Medical Center and St.
Mary's Regional Medical Cen-
ter. Care Flight depends on
the numerous fire depart-
ments, rural hospitals, EMS
agencies, volunteer organiza-
tions, law enforcement and
communities it serves.
"Without these dedicated
individuals, Care Flight would
be unable to perform its role
as effectively and we are grate-
ful for all their hard work and
dedication," said Tale.
"As we take a moment to cel-
ebrate our 30 years in service I
am proud and amazed at how
far this program has come and
so pleased to have been a part
of it from its inception," said
Tale. "We have had a wonder-
ful 30 years serving our com-
munities and we are looking
forward to another 30."
Happy New Year*.
from the
Friden Optometry Staff
We offer a wide range of quality
eyecare services from complete
eye exams to post surgery care.
Call us today to schedule an appointment.
New patients welcome.
www.fridenoptometry.com
~-.~ FRIDEN OPTOMETRY
............ Jonathan Friden, O.D.
68 Central Ave. • Quincy • 283-2020
Complete vision and eye care, Optometrists arid Ophthalmologists on staff, Vision
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removal, threshold visual field analysis, contact lenses, glasses (large selection of
inexpensive, to dosign~r, eyewear), ow vision aids tot the v sual!y impaired, and
vision therapy for !earning related vision problems .... :
O
Here's to
good friends, good neighbors,
and all the good times
we've shared with you all
this past year.
We've enjoyed every minute
and look forward to a happy 2012!
John & the Gang
"Located in the Northeast
corner of the Taylorsville Mall"