Mercy Flight WNY transports 20,000th patient

Saturday April 14, 2012 | By:Submitted to Journal | News

LIFE SAVER — This Mercy Flight WNY helicopter transports patients in emergency situations. The not-for-profit organization is available 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Early in the morning on March 23, Mercy Flight Western New York completed its 20,000th patient mission. Responding to a call for help from Genesee County, Mercy Flight 5 and its crew transported a male patient to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for specialized emergency medical care.

“When I started Mercy Flight back in 1981, I never dreamed that we could help so many people,” said Douglas Baker, Mercy Flight’s founding president.

“I’m extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the last 30 years as a not-for-profit organization,” he added. “We never could have reached this milestone without the assistance and support of our local volunteer firefighters, hospital and law enforcement partners and the communities we serve.”

In 2011, Mercy Flight forgave more than $700,000 in care provided to uninsured or under-insured patients at an average of $842 per flight. The organization recently introduced its Sponsor a Mission Program, which enables businesses or individuals to sponsor a flight for a tax-deductible donation. More information about this program is available at www.mercyflight.org or by calling 626-4100.

Mercy Flight’s 20,000th mission was sponsored by Doug Baker and was dedicated to all of the current and former Mercy Flight Western New York employees, medical directors and board members who have served during the last 30 years.

The not-for-profit organization provides emergency air medical transport throughout Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania. It operates from three bases, in Buffalo, Batavia and Olean, and is available to respond 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

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