Every Second Counts
A local company is making a difference across the country.
The Zanesville Airport may be seeing more action from now on. The new company, named LifeShip Services, has become fully certified and licensed by the Ohio Medical Transportation Board. Owner Joel Downing says the service transports medical patients all over the country and Canada. And unlike a helicopter, a jet can travel much longer distances. Downing says he is proud to employ all local residents.
"Everybody… the pilots, the crew, the technicians, the medical crew, the ground crew, the dispatchers, you name it…it’s all right here in Zanesville," said LifeShip Services CEO Joel Downing.
Clinical Manager Wendy Wilson says the service arranges transportation from bedside to bedside. They can transport any patient ranging from stable to critical. Lifeship’s goal is to make the transport more comfortable and less stressful for the patient.
"We get the cot out of the aircraft. We will take it to the patient, safely secure them, and take them back to the airport via ground transportation, load them up into our aircraft, get them safely secured, and fly them to wherever they need to go," said Wilson.
The unique thing is there are only two fixed wing air ambulances in the state of Ohio, one in Cleveland and one right here in Zanesville.
"We recently did a transport where we took our medical crew, left Zanesville and went to Indianapolis, Indiana, picked up a patient that was a 17-year-old boy who had leukemia and transported him from Indianapolis, Indiana to New York, New York," said Downing.
Mayor Zwelling says it is amazing that one small community can offer such a large service.
"When you mention that, it gives me chills because I am very proud of everything that goes on here. This is a very special community. This new business, with the Downings, and the airport makes it even more special," said Mayor Zwelling.
And when the crews say that they are ready 24/7, they really mean it. WHIZ had the chance to see what exactly happens when LifeShip receives a call.
"They are getting ready to take the aircraft up to Cleveland to pick up a patient and fly them to North Carolina, so our staff is going to be taking them down there today," said Wilson.
