Tulsa World: Tulsa Life Flight gets new home

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Tulsa Life Flight gets new home
The Keefeton location will especially benefit rural patients.

By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer
Published: 11/14/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 11/14/2009 5:00 AM

KEEFETON — Officials on Friday celebrated a new location for Tulsa Life Flight, which they say will help speed emergency response in rural areas.

Keefeton Fire Chief Speck Plunkett said: "This will cut down the time on that golden hour. They can lift off from here and deliver to Muskogee, Fort Smith, Tulsa — wherever it needs to go."

The new location replaces the one at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, which closed June 1 when Air Methods took over the ownership and operation of Tulsa Life Flight.

Tulsa Life Flight's business development manager, Susan Cook, said critically injured patients in the Tulsa area typically are transported by ambulance.

The Keefeton location is equipped with a BK-117 twin-engine helicopter, capable of handling neonatal patients and "balloon pump" transports — a temporary measure used for heart patients.

It carries two units of blood from the Oklahoma Blood Institute for transfusions; ventilators; medications; and other life-saving measures.

The pilot is accompanied by a two-member crew — a nurse/paramedic and a paramedic.

Two other Life Flight locations in Pryor and Drumright respond to emergencies within 150 miles.

"One of the pilots told me he punched Keefeton in on the GPS system, and it doesn't exist. Now you can see that it does," Plunkett said. "It's here for the public. It's here for the patient."

Keefeton is a small community about eight miles south of Muskogee.

Air Methods Vice President Brent Grady said: "I want to assure you that this was a culmination of a vision. It was always our goal to be out in the community where we're closer to the patient."

Plunkett said the Keefeton Fire Department owns the facility, which is leased by Tulsa Life Flight.

"There's no money out of the taxpayer's pocket," he said.

Susan Hylton 581-8381
susan.hylton@tulsaworld.com By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer

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