Alabama Ceremony to Recognize Omniflights Helicopters Inc. Employees

June 17, 2009
Alabama Life Saver Flight Teams to be recognized for commitment to emergency medical services throughout Alabama.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Omniflight Helicopters Inc., a provider of air medical services, announces that 20 flight team members of its Alabama Life Saver program will be recognized at the upcoming "Honoring our Heroes" special event to be held Friday, June 19, 2009, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena.

The Alabama legislature passed a joint resolution, signed by Gov. Bob Riley, declaring June 19, 2009, Alabama Firefighter and Emergency Medical Personnel Day. Firefighters and EMS personnel with a minimum of ten years of service are eligible to receive the Medal of Service for active, volunteer, retired, disabled, or deceased firefighters and EMS personnel. The Medal of Sacrifice will be presented on behalf of all firefighters and EMS personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, regardless of length of service, and will be presented to a family member. Both medals are designed and minted exclusively for this special ceremony.

Omniflight will have on display one of four of their Alabama Life Saver helicopters used in the daily transport of patients across the state. The medals will be bestowed to Omniflight's Alabama Life Saver crew members, including pilots, medics, flight nurses, and maintenance personnel, by Amy Patton, manager of business development-Alabama. These include Dr. Robert Carraway, founder of Life Saver, and others:

Maintenance

  • Mark Tyler (manager)
  • Rick Machen (technician)

Flight nurses

  • Lezlie Boswell
  • Charlie Couey (management)
  • Susan Donaldson
  • Jamie Jackson
  • Lynda Larue (management)
  • Renee Miller
  • Julia Nelms

Flight medics

  • Brandon Beck
  • Heath Daniel
  • Joey DeGeorge
  • Sherri Dempsey Johnson
  • EJ Munnerlyn
  • Shane Parker
  • Ricky Vest
  • Don Wilson

Pilots

  • Carlos Brzobohaty
  • Leslie Powell
  • Don Malloy
  • Dan Smith

"This event is so momentous in that it recognizes the dedication put forth and the dangers faced each and every day by emergency medical personnel as they do their jobs in protecting citizens and communities," says Robert A. Peiser, Omniflight chairman and chief executive officer. "All of us at Omniflight are extremely proud of the dedicated Alabama Life Saver employees to be acknowledged at this event as well as all the Alabama public emergency service professionals being honored. We appreciate the effort and commitment put forth by the Alabama State Games and all the sponsors in identifying all these important individuals and taking the time to showcase their dedication in front of this large and captive audience."

Alabama Life Saver has been providing air medical services to Birmingham and various surrounding communities for 28 years. Omniflight, which purchased Alabama Life Saver in 2001, operates a total of five helicopters from five bases in Alabama, including those in Birmingham, Opelika, Gadsden, and Sylacauga as well as one at Children's Hospital in Birmingham.

For more information visit www.omniflight.com/lifesaver.