Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, October 30, 2013
(BEDFORD) - The Air Evac Lifeteam landed in the Lincoln Elementary School parking lot Tuesday morning not to assist with their life saving skills, but to educate the students on whom they are and what they do.
According to John Gott, the team's job is not only to help save lives but to educate. Gott, who is a flight paramedic and now manager, has been a part of the Lifeteam for more than 8 years.
"Our motto is we want to be the best part of the worse day of your life," Gott says. "The reality is that someone in this group will be treated by our team and flown in our helicopter. It is very important to our team to get in front of the public and educate them on what we do. We don't want them to be afraid of us. Our job is not only to treat and transport people but to educate the public."
AirEvac flies with a team consisting of a pilot, a paramedic and a nurse.
"We can make it from Bedford to Indianapolis or Louisville in about 30 minutes," Gott told the students. "We are not like an ambulance that has to worry about traffic, stop lights or curvy roads. We can get you there fast."
Gott says Air Evac EMS, which operates Air Evac Lifeteam, is the largest independently owned and operated membership-supported air medical service in the United States, conducting its operations through 115 mutually-supporting air medical bases across 15 states.
The Company operates the world's largest fleet of more than 110 medically-equipped Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopters, along with Bell 407 helicopters. Air Evac Lifeteam also offers fixed-wing air medical services from two bases in Missouri and Kentucky. The current service areas includes operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia, with the company being the largest air ambulance provider in 8 of its 15 states.
Residents can become a part of the 1 million plus community of Lifeteam members. Gott says starting as low as $65 a year for a 1 year membership families can be flown by Lifeteam free of charge.
Gott says as a member of Air Evac Lifeteam, the team will work on your behalf with your benefits provider to secure payment for the flight.
"If you don't have insurance and are a member the flight is free," Gott added. "Whatever your benefits provider pays will be considered payment in full. You will not incur any out-of-pocket expenses in connection with your flight if you are flown by our team."
To learn more about supporting Lifeteam visit www.lifeteam.net
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