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LifeFlight Turns 35 (Photo Gallery From LifeFlight Over Flomaton, Century)

May 14 was the 35th anniversary of the first patient flight on LifeFlight.

In 1977, Baptist Hospital became the third hospital in the country to operate medical helicopter ambulance service. LifeFlight 2 was added in Mobile in 2004 and LifeFlight 3 was added in Evergreen in 2006.

For a photo gallery from LifeFlight over Century and Flomaton, click here.

Operating 24 hours a day, Baptist LifeFlight can be airborne within minutes of a call, traveling at speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour. This significantly reduces the transport time of critically ill patients, either from a transferring hospital or from the scene of an emergency.

The Baptist LifeFlight crew is highly trained and experienced in critical care. Registered nurses must have a paramedic certification, a minimum of three years in nursing with one year each of critical care and emergency department experience, and be certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Paramedics are required to have a minimum of three years experience in a busy EMS service and must also have ACLS and PALS certifications. New crew members also receive extensive additional training from LifeFlight’s medical directors.

The helicopter operates on two Pratt & Whitney turbine engines. It has an empty weight of 3,208 pounds, and a maximum flight weight of 6,415 pounds. It has a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet, a cruise speed of 158 mph and climbs 25 feet per second.

For a photo gallery from LifeFlight over Century and Flomaton, click here.

Pictured top: LifeFlight at a wreck on Highway 29 near McDavid. Pictured inset: Looking down from LifeFlight at the Panhandle Restaurant in Century. Pictured below: The view from LifeFlight over Century looking north toward Flomaton. Northescambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.