Life Flight Network

It takes a lot to save a little life. A lot of specialized care, quick decision-making and a team that’s ready at a moment’s notice. And it takes you. Giving Tuesday is December 2, but the need doesn’t wait — and neither do we. Today, the Life Flight Network Foundation is launching our It Takes a Lot to Save a Little Life campaign to raise $50,000 by December 31st, ensuring we can continue responding to the most critical moments for children and families across our region. Your gift keeps our aircraft mission-ready, supports advanced neonatal and pediatric training, and helps ensure lifesaving care is available the moment it’s needed. Will you make an early Giving Tuesday gift to help us begin this campaign strong? Donations can be made here: https://lnkd.in/gw4-K2Mm #lifeflightnetworkfoundation #endofyeargiving #givingtuesday #donate #donations #fundraising #giveforgood

Today, November 20th, 2025, we join organizations across the country in recognizing National Rural Health Day. A day dedicated to honoring the remarkable people, providers, and communities that define rural America. For us, this celebration goes beyond acknowledgment; it reflects the very heart of our mission and the work our teams carry out every day. As a critical care medical transport organization, we stand committed to readiness, access, and equity in healthcare, especially for those living in the most remote and medically underserved areas of our service region. Rural communities face unique challenges, limited healthcare resources, long distances to specialty care, and unpredictable environmental factors. Yet, they demonstrate incredible strength, resilience, and trust in the care we provide. Today, we celebrate not just our own, but all clinicians, pilots, communication professionals, maintainers, and administrative teams whose collective efforts directly strengthen the health and safety of the communities we proudly serve. To our LFN team, thank you for your unwavering commitment to our mission of saving lives with industry-leading care & transport, and for the extraordinary impact you make each day. Together, we continue to ensure that no patient is beyond reach. #lifeflightnetwork #therewhenyouneedus #nationalruralhealthday #ruralhealth #healthequity #savinglives #healthcare #ems #emergencymedicine

Last Friday, we gathered with our aviation training and leadership teams, and many of our valued healthcare and community partners, to celebrate a significant milestone—the implementation of our new FRASCA Bell 407 GXi flight simulator. This state-of-the-art technology didn’t appear overnight. It took months of planning, coordination, and hard work from our aviation training team (see photo), whose dedication ensures our pilots receive the highest level of training possible. We’re incredibly proud of their leadership in bringing this advancement to life. Funded in part through the Life Flight Network Foundation’s Virtual Skies campaign, this upgrade gives more than 150 LFN pilots access to FAA-approved, highly immersive training for both routine and emergency maneuvers at our Aurora, OR headquarters—all without taking lifesaving aircraft out of service. Every hour spent in this simulator translates into safer skies, faster response times, and more lives saved. Thanks to our donors, partners, and the investment of Life Flight Network, we’re strengthening pilot readiness and supporting the communities we proudly serve across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Hawaiʻi. Here’s to our aviation trainers and the lifesaving impact this technology will make for years to come. #lifeflightnetwork #therewhenyouneedus

*** SURVIVAL STORY *** On the morning of October 13, 2019, Emelie wasn’t feeling well and decided to drive to Canby Urgent Care, leaving her husband at home with their children. As she navigated a sharp curve on Union Mills Road, her car slipped on a patch of oil and spun out of control. She braced for impact, seeing a black truck coming toward her, and the next thing she knew, her car had slammed into a telephone pole, rolled three times, and landed crushed against a tree. A bystander who witnessed the crash heard her screams but was unable to pull her from the wreckage due to her injuries. Trapped with the steering wheel lodged under her sternum, Emelie drifted in and out of consciousness as Molalla Fire Rural Protection District #73 arrived. Her first thought upon waking was that she had died, as a blanket covered her face—placed there by the fire crew for protection during the extraction. A member of the fire team placed a reassuring hand on her, telling her she’d been in an accident, but she was going to be okay. For 45 minutes, Emelie listened to saws cutting through the wreckage. Life Flight Network arrived to provide critical care and rapid transport to Portland’s Oregon Health & Science University. In that moment, the helicopter seemed bigger than she’d ever imagined, and she found comfort in flight nurse Trevor, who was caring and attentive. Though in pain, Emelie felt connected to Trevor, a man she credits for helping save her life. Her injuries were severe—a torn carotid artery, among others—and she spent a year on bedrest, unable to lift anything over three pounds, including her children. Looking back, she calls her survival a miracle and says the experience taught her how strong and resilient she is. “When I’m going through a tough time, I think of that helmet peering over me in the helicopter, and it reminds me that I can do hard things.” Meeting Trevor again after her recovery was emotional. “They keep so many moms, dads, kids, sisters, brothers here,” she says. “There are no words to express how grateful I am that I’m still here to raise my children.” #lifeflightnetwork #therewhenyouneedus #survivalstory #savinglives

Today, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment of all who have served our nation. Nearly one in four members of the Life Flight Network team are proud veterans — individuals who continue to embody the same spirit of service in their lifesaving work today. We are deeply grateful to them, and to all veterans, for their selfless dedication to freedom and the service of others. #lifeflightnetwork #veteransday #happyveteransday #thankyouforyourservice #employveterans

Today, surrounded by friends, healthcare partners, and community leaders, we gathered at Kona International Airport to bless the two Life Flight Network aircraft and the flight crews that will soon serve the people of Hawaiʻi Island. Our helicopter, based in Kona, and our fixed-wing plane, based in Hilo, will begin operations tomorrow—bringing rapid, critical care to patients and families across the island. This blessing marks more than just the start of our lifesaving services; it’s a moment of gratitude, unity, and hope. Together, we honor the spirit of aloha and our shared commitment to care for one another when it matters most. Mahalo to everyone who joined us in this meaningful celebration. We are truly grateful for your kindness and support. Together, we will make a difference for the people of Hawai‘i Island. Finally, thank you to Kahu Danny Akaka Jr. and his lovely wife, Anna Akaka for providing such a beautiful blessing to our aircraft and crew. The power and beauty of your service was felt deeply by all who were lucky enough to bear witness. 💙 #lifeflightnetwork #therewhenyouneedus #hawaiiisland #thebigisland #hawaii #savinglives

At first glance, it’s simply a helicopter parked in the grass. But for the people of Hawaiʻi Island—and for all of us at Life Flight Network—it represents something far greater. Behind this moment are thousands of hours of planning, preparation, and partnership culminating in new, lifesaving air medical resources for the island. This Thursday, we’ll gather at Kona International Airport with friends, employees, healthcare partners, and elected and appointed officials, each representing the people of Hawaiʻi—to bless both this helicopter and our fixed-wing aircraft—the former to be based in Kona and the latter in Hilo. On Friday, operations officially begin, marking a new chapter in our mission to bring rapid, critical care to those who need it most. We are beyond excited and humbled to serve the people of Hawai’i Island. #lifeflightnetwork #hawaii #hawaiiisland #thebigisland #bigisland #airmedical #airambulance #savinglives #hawaiihealthcare #kona #hilo West Hawaii Region: Kona Community Hospital & Kohala Hospital

Our crews represent a literal lifeline in rural America and remain dedicated to their communities. I was very fortunate to stop by our Pullman, Washington base today and sit down with some of the best in the industry. This is, without a doubt, the best part of the job! Thanks LF26 for all you do! Stay safe and keep up the great work! #therewhenyouneedus

Life Flight Network X AMTC Session Highlight! Check it out! ------ Traumatic Electrocution: Hanging from the Power Lines Post-Ejection Ever wonder what might be going through your patient's mind during a major traumatic event? In this presentation, we see our perspective (EMS/Fire) and the patient's perspective (a 17-year-old girl who just wanted to watch the sunset with her friends). This happy-ending 2-part presentation highlights the challenges of a small-town Emergency Response System in handling a multi-victim trauma scene that isn't safe upon arrival, the collaboration of multiple teams to successfully rescue and treat a critical patient, and the patient's perspective throughout the process. We'll cover a rapid review of electricity/electrical burns and current recommendations, and include audience interaction and pauses for discussion. As we'll have the actual patient with us, Part II of the presentation will be what she experienced in her own words. Enjoy multiple pictures from the scene, the hospital, and post-discharge as the patient shares what she's now able to do because she is alive! #lifeflightnetwork #amtc2025 #speakerhighlight Laurel Whittemore