Vanderbilt LifeFlight, the 2020 Association of Air Medical Services transport program of the year, along with multiple other public safety agencies, received multiple awards for its lifesaving work at the 13th annual EMS Star of Life Awards that was recently hosted by the Children’s Emergency Care Alliance (CECA) in Nashville.
The EMS Star of Life Awards is a premier event that honors the accomplishments of EMS personnel across the state of Tennessee who provide exemplary lifesaving care to adult and pediatric patients and reunites the EMS caregivers with the people they treated.
One recipient is chosen from each of the eight (8) EMS regions in the state.
Vanderbilt LifeFlight received awards from three of the eight regions and was honored with the state-wide award, taking home a total of four awards. A LifeFlight team was also honored with a 2020 award.
Region IV Award – Lake Tubing Accident
Vanderbilt LifeFlight 7 (Cookeville), Dekalb EMS, Dekalb County 911, and Edgar Evins Park Ranger Lee Chadwell responded to a call on May 31, 2020, and helped save the life of an individual, who was critically injured in a tubing accident on the lake.
Because of the rapid response and care provide by all agencies, and the rapid transport to the Level 1 Trauma Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and despite very critical injuries, two weeks after the accident, the victim was walking at their high school graduation. Flight Nurse Rachelle Brockman and Flight Paramedic Clayton Anstis, along with Air Methods Pilot Bill Dixon, were part of the Vanderbilt LifeFlight response.
Region V (State Award) – Infant in Distress
The life of a 10-day-old baby was saved by clinic providers at Fort Campbell Emergency Communications Center, Fort Campbell EMS, Byrd Clinic and Vanderbilt LifeFlight 3 (Clarksville) when the baby arrived at the clinic in respiratory distress. LifeFlight 3 crew members Flight Nurse Practitioner’s Tony Smith, and Jessica Van Meter, Flight Nurse Neil Stinson along with Air Methods Pilot Scott Shuel and Communicator Cody Camenzind (Air Methods Communications) were honored along with all the first responders who saved the life of this baby. After a quick flight to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the patient was rushed to surgery to repair some complex cardiac issues. The Vanderbilt LifeFlight crew and patient were reunited for the first time since the incident and mother/father expressed gratitude and praise.
Region VI Award – Motorcycle Crash
A motorcycle crash, where the motorcycle had traveled from the roadway, gone through a barb wire fence, then a metal cattle gate and finally stopped when it struck a tree, left an individual with critical chest injuries.
Thanks to the quick work of Maury Regional Medical Center EMS, Vanderbilt LifeFlight 4 (Mt. Pleasant), Maury County Fire and Rescue, Maury County Sheriff’s Department, and Maury County 911, the patient was flown to the Level 1 Trauma Center at Vanderbilt, where he successfully recovered. Flight Nurse Practitioner Flight Nurse Practitioner Neil Worf, Flight Nurse Chris House, Air Methods Pilot Eddie Kemp and Air Com Communicator Mitch Brittain.
Vanderbilt LifeFlight also received an award from the canceled 2020 ceremony, which honored Vanderbilt LifeFlight 4 (Mt. Pleasant Base) with Maury-Lewis EMS, Lewis County 911, and Lewis County Volunteer Fire Department. Vanderbilt LifeFlight crewmembers Flight Physician Cliff Freeman, Flight Nurse Keela Dement, Air Methods Pilot Bric Baker and Air Methods Communicator Patrick Brungardt received the award on behalf of Vanderbilt LifeFlight.
Region VII Award – Shooting
A 16-year-old male was critically injured from a gunshot wound to the chest when lifesaving efforts made by Medical Center EMS and Vanderbilt LifeFlight 8 (Humboldt) helped save his life as he was flown to the Shock Trauma Center at Regional One Health. Flight Nurse Practitioner Neil Worf, Flight Paramedic Taylor Teel, and Air Methods Pilot Marty Hastings.
“We are so proud to have our life saving teams honored,” said Kevin Nooner, MSN, RN, NE-BC, program director, LifeFlight Air Medical Transport. “It’s a reflection of the quality care our patients receive from our team of healthcare professionals.”
Vanderbilt LifeFlight is one of a handful of flight programs across the country that provide this level of expertise of front-line emergency care. Most flight programs offer a critical care nurse/critical care paramedic care team. A nurse practitioner is a master (MSN) or doctorate (DNP) prepared nurse, and have additional specialized training beyond that of a registered nurse.
“Our flight crews treat and transport some of the most challenging and complex cases we see at Vanderbilt,” said Stephan Russ, M.D., associate professor of Emergency Medicine and associate chief of staff for Vanderbilt University medical Center. “We want our referring partners and patients to know that they are getting the highest level of care offered when Vanderbilt is called to transport.”
Since its inception in 1984, Vanderbilt LifeFlight has completed more than 45,000 accident free patient missions. LifeFlight is an essential part of VUMC that combines a communications center, rotor, fixed, ground, critical care ground and event medicine that make it part of a true integrated health care delivery system. The program has grown from a single helicopter to more than eight air bases across Tennessee, an airplane, two critical care ground ambulances and 14 advanced life support ambulances.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center provides all medical staffing, patient care and clinical services for Vanderbilt LifeFlight while Air Methods Corporation provides aviation, fuel, maintenance, aircraft, dispatch, billing and EMS licensure.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Vanderbilt LifeFlight.
