History
- November 1983: The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission approves Vanderbilt University Medical Center's application to start Middle Tennessee's first air medical transport service.
- June 1984: VUMC dedicates its new LifeFlight program. The first aircraft in service is a Bell 206 LongRanger helicopter, owned and operated by Kenn Air for Vanderbilt.
- July 5, 1984: LifeFlight initiates operations.
- July 6, 1984: First patient transport occurs. Original flight crew members are Pilot Bill Hamblin and Flight Nurses Allison Bolin and Kathy Ogle.
- Early 1985: LifeFlight's initial helipad is removed in preparation for construction of the new Vanderbilt Clinic building. LifeFlight purchases a ground ambulance to facilitate patient transport from a temporary landing area on one of the University's athletic fields.
- Late 1985: Fourth floor rooftop helipad is completed with room for two helicopters. LifeFlight now has a dedicated elevator for direct access to the new helipad, operating suites, and emergency department.
- May 1986: Vanderbilt LifeFlight changes aviation vendors and upgrades to the twin engine BK-117, which is capable of simultaneous transport of two patients.
- July 1989: Vanderbilt LifeFlight celebrates its fifth anniversary.
- Summer 1990: LifeFlight presents "LifeFlight On Tour," a traveling series of lectures and aircraft site visits to hospital and EMS agencies in the Middle Tennessee region.
- Fall 1990: The city of Nashville, along with Vanderbilt LifeFlight, hosts the international conference for the Association of Air Medical Services.
- Spring 1991: In cooperation with Middle Tennessee EMS agencies, LifeFlight initiates the Pre-Designated Emergency Landing Area program. The P.E.L.A. program was designed to assist local EMS services in identifying safe and efficient landing areas for LifeFlight to use on an on-going basis.
- October 1991: Vanderbilt LifeFlight receives the MBB Aeromedical Safety Award from the aircraft manufacturer for exceeding 5,000 consecutive accident-free missions.
- November 1991: LifeFlight's aviation vendor changes to Rocky Mountain Helicopters, and Vanderbilt receives a new BK-117 helicopter (N911VU) with the medical compartment's interior custom designed by Vanderbilt flight nurses.
- April 1992: First month of 100 patient transports.
- Spring 1993: LifeFlight begins professional publication of a quarterly newsletter.
- Summer 1993: Three consecutive months of more than 100 patient transports each month.
- July 1994: Vanderbilt LifeFlight celebrates its ten-year anniversary.
- April 1997: LifeFlight expands operations by adding a second BK-117 along with additional staff including six flight nurses, five pilots, four flight coordinators, and one mechanic.
- June 1998: To meet the demand of increasing flight requests, LifeFlight 2's hours of operation are expanded from 12 hours a day to 16 hours a day.
- August 1998: Using advanced pilot training along with an electronic flight instrumentation system, a digital auto-pilot, and global positioning system, LifeFlight 1 (N117BK) initiates single pilot IFR capability, enhancing safety and increasing LifeFlight's availability during inclement weather.
- September 1998: LifeFlight transports 174 patients this month.
- October 1998: Vanderbilt flight nurse Sandy Kinkade is elected president of the National Flight Nurses Association.
- December 1998: LifeFlight completes the year with 1,500 patient transports.
- February 18, 1999: Don Sundquist, Governor of the State of Tennessee, proclaims this day "Critical Care Transport Nurses Day."
- March 1999: Vanderbilt Flight Communications initiates "real-time" tracking of LifeFlight helicopters using the ARNAV system.
- Summer 1999: Vanderbilt LifeFlight celebrates its fifteen-year anniversary.
- Fall 1999: Once again, the city of Nashville and Vanderbilt LifeFlight host the international conference of the Association of Air Medical Services.
- Fall 1999: LifeFlight's own Sandra Jones named as national flight nurse of the year!
- 1999: LifeFlight reaches a new record of 1659 patients transported for the year!
- April 2000: Construction begins on new rooftop helipad and offices on the 12th floor of Vanderbilt Hospital.
- Summer 2000: LifeFlight II based at Bedford County General Hospital.
- December 2000: LifeFlight Skyport opens at Vanderbilt Hospital.
- October 2002: Vanderbilt adds third LifeFlight helicopter at Gateway Medical Center.
- July 2003: LifeFlight Nurse Tom Grubbs surpasses 4,000 flights with Vanderbilt LifeFlight.
- May 2003: LifeFlight 'hot line' yellow phone system implemented providing EMS agencies and hospitals with direct access to Flight Communications.
- September 2003: Vanderbilt LifeFlight adds fixed wing capabalities to enhance long-range medical support capabilities.
- September 2003: LifeFlight's Sandy Jones recognized as the 2003 TASA Paramedic of the year.
- September 2003: Vanderbilt LifeFlight Direct Access Telephones available to EMS agencies, 911 centers and medical facilities.
- November 2003: LifeFlight Nurse Kevin High named National Medical Crew Member of the Year.
- December 2003: LifeFlight Communicator Marty Blair receives a Regional Instructor Award from the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.
- June 21, 2004: LifeFlight 1 base moved to Lebanon airport and a new LF4 base opened at Mt. Pleasant airport.
- June 30, 2004: Vanderbilt LifeFlight takes delivery of N102VU, the first of three EC-145 helicopters to be delivered by years end.
- July 10, 2004: N102VU, LifeFlight's first new EC-145 lands at Vanderbilt Medical Center. The aircraft was ferried from the American Eurocopter facility in Dallas, TX, by Loren Courtney (pilot) and Wilson Matthews (Chief Flight Nurse).
- December 27, 2004: LifeFlight 2 base relocated from Bedford County to the Tullahoma, TN airport (KTHA).
- April 4, 2006: Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s LifeFlight air ambulance program has become the first program in Tennessee to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS).
- December 13, 2006: Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s Office of Emergency Communications designated as the EMS Regional Communications Center (EMS RCC) for the Mid-Cumberland Region by Tennessee Department of Health EMS officials.
- January 1, 2007: Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s Office of Emergency communications begins operations as the EMS Regional Communications Center (EMS RCC).
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