LOCALadk
46 Spring 2015 LOCALadk Magazine
The services of Life Flight significantly help
minimize the time is takes for critically ill and
seriously injured patients to reach the most
appropriate medical center, while providing
care along the way. Understanding the
socioeconomic makeup of the people they're
serving, Life Flight charges no fee.
"In the end, seeing the relief on our patient's
faces is enough. Being able to provide this
service without placing a financial burden on
our patients is an additional bonus," Martin
smiles. Pandolph adds, "I truly believe in our
slogan, Neighbors Helping Neighbors."
Down the runway, tornadoes of snow rise up
and exposed faces burrow into balaclavas
while the Bell 430 is pulled from the hanger.
The landscape looks like the South Pole. John
Hermanson gears up and slips head gear over
his crew cut. He is one of the New York State
Police pilots that accompany Life Flight on
rescue missions. Hermanson wanted to fly
ever since he was a young boy. "I used to look
to the sky when a plane or helicopter would
fly by and be so envious—always wanting to
be in their shoes," he recalls.
It was a passion that carried with him into adulthood. He became a pilot through the United States Army
with whom he still flies today. After 12 years as an infantryman, he became a State Trooper in 2006. In
2013, he was accepted in the NYSP aviation program and relocated to the area from Watertown with his
family.
A hoist operation presents many challenges. Even if an air rescue is recommended, the pilot makes the
