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AEL Makes $10,000 Donation to Angel Flight America
Air Evac Lifeteam, a member-supported rural air ambulance provider, on Feb. 28, 2006, made a $10,000 donation to Angel Flight® America (AFA), recognizing the important role the charitable air transportation organization played in getting critically ill patients to medical care following Hurricane Katrina.
Angel Flight America flew more than 2,100 missions and transported more than 3,700 patients in the days following Hurricane Katrina. The organization’s first priority was to move high-risk people to safer locations and fly emergency workers, volunteers and supplies into flood-ravaged areas. By the second week, Angel Flight focused on reuniting families that were separated during the evacuation and relocating families out of shelters to safe housing in other parts of the country.
“Angel Flight America greatly appreciates Air Evac’s participation with us during the Katrina disaster, “ said AFA Chief Operating Officer Ken Rusnak. “It was very gratifying to work with such a professionally run organization. We congratulate you for your work and thank you for recognizing ours with your generous donation of $10,000.”
In making the donation, Air Evac Lifeteam President and CEO Collins said it is his hope the money will assist Angel Flight America in their ongoing efforts to provide air medical transport services to those facing medical and financial needs.
“Angel Flight America provided a tremendous service to the Gulf region following Hurricane Katrina and we’re proud to be able to recognize the efforts of these pilots, who volunteered their time, aircraft and expenses to help others in need,” Collins said. “What Angel Flight and its volunteers accomplished in response to Hurricane Katrina is an unprecedented success, among both the disaster response community and the general aviation communities.
“Our crews, who also responded to the Gulf region to offer assistance in the days following Hurricane Katrina, worked alongside Angel Flight America crews as they transported critically ill patients from hospitals in the hurricane-stricken region,” he added.
Air Evac Lifeteam sent eight helicopters and more than 65 employees to the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts and, in five days, provided medical transport to more than 100 patients. A few weeks later, as Hurricane Rita was predicted to make landfall in Texas, Air Evac Lifeteam responded with five helicopters and more personnel to evacuate patients from the Gulf Coast hospitals between Houston and Beaumont.
“This donation is being presented today on behalf of our more than 470,000 Air Evac Lifeteam members,” said Air Evac Lifeteam President and CEO Collin Collins. “In the last quarter of 2005, we asked our members to join us to raise funds to support Katrina relief efforts. We set aside a portion of the proceeds we took in from new memberships during that time period and raised an astonishing $60,000.”
This donation, along with a donation of $10,000 to Helicopter Association International (HAI), to help support the development of a database of civilian helicopter operators who can respond to assist in times of natural disasters and catastrophic situations, are the first of several disbursements of money we plan to make on behalf of our members, Collins said.
Air Evac Lifeteam, based in West Plains, Mo., is the largest independently owned air ambulance service in the United States. The membership-supported air ambulance service operates 60 bases in 11 states throughout the central United States. Information about Air Evac Lifeteam services can be found at www.lifeteam.net or by calling 1-800-793-0010.
Angel Flight® America is a compassionate nonprofit organization comprised of seven regional organizations dedicated to serving people in situations of compelling need by arranging free air transportation, enabling patients to travel to specialized medical facilities for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of their illness or disease. AFA represents over 90% of all charitable aviation on-emergency flights flown in the United States, arranging flights for more than 35,000 passengers annually. Information about Angel Flight America can be found at www.angelflightamerica.org or by calling toll free at 877-858-7788.
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