Indiana-based Lutheran Air is celebrating the milestone of 10,000 patient flights since the air ambulance programme began serving the region nearly two decades ago.

“The Lutheran Air programme has led to a significant impact in the life-saving care and transport of patients throughout the region in the past 18 years,” says executive director of Lutheran Air, Ground and EMS Scot Tuttle. “We are proud of the dedication and expertise of our paramedics, nurses, pilots, mechanics and dispatchers, that has allowed us to provide rapid care and transport of more than 10,000 cardiac, trauma, burn, stroke and critically ill patients, ranging from our youngest neonatal and paediatric patients all the way up to our oldest adults.”

The Lutheran Air flight programme is based at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana and operates three Airbus H130 aircraft strategically positioned at bases at Portland Municipal airport, Wabash Municipal airport and Starke County airport to optimise regional service area within a radius of 150 miles from each.

Lutheran Air helicopters are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a licensed and/or board-certified crew that includes a pilot, nurse and paramedic. Crew members are certified in advanced cardiac, trauma life support and neonatal resuscitation and provide air ambulance services focused on safety, quality and speed for all critically ill or injured patients.