August 8, 2019

LifeFlight celebrates 35 years of service to the community

Vanderbilt LifeFlight recently celebrated 35 years of service with a night out at the Nashville Sounds.

LifeFlight personnel gather for a photo at the recent anniversary celebration at First Tennessee Park. (photo by Anne Rayner)

by Jerry Jones

Vanderbilt LifeFlight celebrated 35 years of service with a night out at the Nashville Sounds. More than 170 LifeFlight employees and their families enjoyed a night of baseball and family fun at the Aug. 4 game at First Tennessee Park.

Brooke Kowalkowski, a former LifeFlight patient, along with those who saved her life, were honored between innings.

Kowalkowski, from Spring Hill, Tennessee, almost drowned and was saved by bystanders and first responders, then flown via LifeFlight to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Glenn Murray was on hand from AirBus Helicopters, along with Jeff See, from Air Methods Corp., to present plaques to the staff and thank them for their service to the community.

LifeFlight was started in 1984 with a single helicopter based at Vanderbilt. Since then it has grown to eight remote helicopter bases, an airplane and 13 ground ambulances. Its medical flight crew members are credited with having flown more than 40,000 patient flights since the program began.

In July, LifeFlight was honored with a resolution from the Nashville Metro Council and Council Member Burkley Allen, recognizing and thanking the program for its 35 years of community service.