A Message from the ASTNA President

Dear Colleagues,

The last few days have been very devastating as we shared the news of the tragic loss of a pilot, flight nurse and paramedic from Survival Flight, then the news of a Guardian Flight missing since Tuesday evening.  Please keep Survival Flight and Guardian Flight family, friends and colleagues in your prayers.

As I think back over my years in the Air Medical Industry, I can still remember in 1997, I was 4 months into my new job as a flight nurse, working a night shift, when the news came in about a helicopter crash, and all three on board were killed. How my heart ached and I shed silent tears for the family. I still remember the year of 2008, like it was yesterday, when the Air Medical Industry experienced the tragic loss of 29 our colleagues and several were not only colleagues but friends.

I learned many years ago from a dear pilot, John Wescott, he told me “YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN SAFETY” and this is so true.  Today we have night vision systems (NVG), Safety Management Systems (SMS), risk assessment tools, helicopter terrain and warning systems (HTAWS) and safety cultures yet today our Air Medical Industry is heartbroken as we mourn the loss of our colleagues. Please be vigilant! YOU owe it to yourself, YOUR family and YOUR colleagues to have a safety culture attitude and be in charge of your SAFETY!

God Speed to our Survival Flight and Guardian Flight families, please be safe-

Sharon  

Sharon J Purdom, BSN, RN, CFRN
ASTNA President

Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association

13918 E. Mississippi Avenue

Suite 215

Aurora, CO 80012

www.astna.org

303.344.0457 call or text

800.937.9890 fax

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