News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Life Force Two first landed in Putnam County 25 years ago this summer. The medical helicopter’s service continues to this day.
Flight Nurse Tim Perry and Flight Paramedic Robert Berger are a part of the original crew and remember their first day on the job. Berger said since day one, the Upper Cumberland community offered their team a home.
“Even from the first day that we were here, when they decided to put the aircraft here in 1995, all the communities were very very welcoming. We really appreciate that,” Berger said.
Perry said serving the Upper Cumberland would not be possible without the EMS teams and healthcare workers providing their services to the community. Perry said over the years, the crew has developed irreplaceable relationships.
“We are very proud and have become family with the local EMS in the area,” Perry said. “That is pretty rewarding to us to have relationships with those guys, but it is not just about us. We are just a small part of a large team.”
Life Force Two primary service area covers the 15 counties of the Upper Cumberland but responds to calls as far as Atlanta to the Kentucky line. The three original crew members have responded to over 10,000 calls and do not plan to stop.
“Any medical helicopter within the region is a pretty valuable resource for the population of these counties,” Perry said. “We hope we have made a difference for a lot of people in the Upper Cumberland, and we hope to be here many more years.”
June 5th marked the 25 year anniversary of Life Force Two arriving at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport. Erlanger Health System was the first in the State of Tennessee to establish a satellite based air medical helicopter.
