Intermountain Life Flight marks its 35th anniversary

Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Life Flight helicopter sits on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Originally based at Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital, the emergency helicopter service, started in 1978, has ransported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune
Retired Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Ralph Evans looks over an Agusta Grand Helicopter, the latest Life Flight helicopter sitting on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Evans was involved in an incident on Oct. 7, 1978, in which he was shot and critically injured. He was transported by ground ambulance to Davis North Hospital and then air lifted by the then months old helicopter service to LDS Hospital. Since then the service has transported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune A Life Flight helicopter sits on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Originally based at Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital, the emergency helicopter service, started in 1978, has ransported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees. Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune Retired Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Ralph Evans looks over an Agusta Grand Helicopter, the latest Life Flight helicopter sitting on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Evans was involved in an incident on Oct. 7, 1978, in which he was shot and critically injured. He was transported by ground ambulance to Davis North Hospital and then air lifted by the then months old helicopter service to LDS Hospital. Since then the service has transported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees. Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune A Life Flight helicopter sits on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Originally based at Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital, the emergency helicopter service, started in 1978, has transported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees. Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Paul Fraughton | The Salt Lake Tribune A Life Flight helicopter sits on the helipad in front of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Originally based at Salt Lake City's LDS Hospital, the emergency helicopter service, started in 1978, has transported nearly 63,00 patients in its 35 years. The service has expanded to serve the entire Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees. Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The Salt Lake Tribune

· August 14, 2013 7:10 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Intermountain Life Flight is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its creation in 1978, when it became the seventh air transport service in the United States.

Then based at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, it began with helicopter flights. It now serves the Intermountain West with seven helicopters, three airplanes and 248 employees.

It has provided nearly 63,000 patient transports and is the only civilian program in the nation that is able to perform hoist rescues, according to a news release.

Life Flight reunited team members and former patients on Wednesday at its helipad at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.