EVANSTON — AirMethods has established an air ambulance base at Evanston Regional Hospital (ERH) and will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Wyoming Life Flight 3 on Monday, September 29, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
The public is invited to see the aircraft and cutting-edge equipment carried by the AS350, as well as meet industry-leading critical care clinicians and pilots with years of experience in the field, and skilled aviation mechanics who ensure the aircraft is always safe and mission-ready.
Light refreshments will be served, T-shirts and hats will be distributed, and guests will be able to sit in the helicopter for a photo. Guest speakers will include Mayor Kent Williams, who will be given a ride in the helicopter.
According to Wyoming Life Flight 3 nurse Stacy Stokes, “We are trying to get our name out into the community to make sure everyone knows that we are here and dedicated to providing care to those in need.”
According to Stokes, Wyoming Life Flight 3 took Evanston High School student body president Domonik Stuart for a ride in the helicopter and landed with him at the football field pep rally on Thursday, September 18.
AirMethods, a private company, has a contract with the hospital to provide emergency air services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wyoming Life Flight 3, based at ERH, serves a large portion of southwest Wyoming, including Evanston, Kemmerer, Bridger Valley, Pinedale, and others.
They offer transfer services from hospital to hospital, to industry and mines, and for accidents on Interstate 80. Stokes stated that they have been contacting other agencies in the area to inform them of the services Wyoming Life Flight 3 offers.
The hospital will have two clinicians on staff at all times (a flight nurse and a flight medic), as well as a pilot. The clinical team rotates after a 48-hour shift with another clinical team, while the pilots work 12-hour shifts, seven days on and seven days off. The crew has arranged for shared housing near the hospital.
Stokes, an Evanston High School alum, told the Herald about her early nursing career in Evanston.
“When I was 18, I started working as a certified nursing assistant at Rocky Mountain Care in Evanston. “This was my very first job in health care,” she explained. “One night, while I was working, I entered a patient’s room and discovered her unresponsive.
I yelled to the nurse on duty and started CPR. After a few minutes, I was relieved to see the ambulance crew arrive. While still compressing, I looked up and saw Kent Williams’ reassuring face. He and his team assumed care of the patient.
“As Kent was leaving for the hospital, he could see that I was visibly shaken by this experience,” Stokes told me. “He looked at me and told me that I did an excellent job handling the situation. He told me I had a talent and that if I ever wanted to run with him in the ambulance, he’d gladly take me.
Stokes went on, “Seventeen years later, I still recall that experience. After years of hard work and dedication, I am now working as a flight nurse in my hometown. I’ve always wanted to repay Kent for the kindness he showed me that day.
As our base outreach coordinator, I am in charge of organizing our public outreach activities. The first thing that came to mind was coordinating a helicopter ride for Kent Williams.
His kindness and belief in my abilities helped me become the nurse I am today. I am extremely grateful to be serving this community and all of its wonderful people.”
