Flight For Life celebrates 10 years of being in Pueblo

Usually when Flight For Life lands at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo it’s for an emergency. But the crew is at the hospital for a different reason Saturday, to be honored.

The hospital, along with people around Pueblo, celebrated the 10th anniversary of Flight For Life being in Pueblo.

“It has been a wonderful experience,” Base Manager J.C. Taylor said.

“Flight For Life has been one of the major components of our life,” Tracy Ashley said. Her son is one of the more than 4,000 patients who have been transported by the emergency crew. Ashley’s son suffered third-degree burns during a camping trip. She said if it wasn’t for Flight For Life, her son wouldn’t be alive.

“He had a compromised airway because of all the ash that was going into his lungs,” Ashley said.

Flight For Life said saving lives inside a helicopter isn’t easy.

“We are getting the patients when they are most vulnerable, and taking them to the hospitals to get the care they need and helping them stay comfortable in the process,” Taylor said.

St. Mary-Corwin is the only hospital south of Colorado Springs that provides Flight For Life services.