Clarksville, TN – Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts and City Human Resources Director Tessa Luntz recently met with a representative of LifeLine Pilots, an airline service that provides communities with free medical and humanitarian flights for people in need.
Mayor Pitts and Ms. Luntz discussed the service with Phil Ellis, LifeLine Pilots Community Outreach Coordinator, based in Peoria, IL. LifeLine Pilots currently provides services to the Clarksville area, and is reaching out to various Clarksville contact points for information-sharing.
Mr. Ellis explained that, LifeLine coordinates free air transportation for non-emergency medical treatment, utilizing the generous volunteer services of highly-trained and experienced airline pilots.
Individuals who are referred to specialty medical facilities by a physician, and need medical care outside of their home city or state, qualify for LifeLine Pilots, and the service is coordinated with specific, participating communities. Clarksville Regional Airport at Outlaw Field serves as the local flight destination and meets the service criteria specified by LifeLine Pilots, Mr. Ellis said.
“LifeLine Pilots avoids large urban airports, preferring to serve patients close to their rural and suburban homes,” Mr. Ellis said. “Clarksville Regional Airport at Outlaw Field provides both passengers and pilots an exceptional facility for efficient ease of travel, with modern conveniences of large metropolitan airports.”
In total, LifeLine Pilots serves 10 states, including Tennessee and Kentucky, and has logged 10,000 flights since 1981. Frequent flight destinations for patients include, for example, Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Center, and Cleveland Clinic.
Volunteer pilots in the LifeLine Pilots service are required to be 21 years of age or older and fully insured, and current with a minimum of 250 hours as a pilot in command.
“The rising cost of health care has made it nearly unaffordable, even to those with health insurance,” Mayor Pitts said. “This important free service by LifeLine Pilots for the most seriously ill, provides life-saving transportation to specialized care for those who need it most.”
“LifeLine Pilots provides an impressive and compassionate service, removing a significant barrier to medical care for individuals and families in need,” Ms. Luntz said. “Access to free air transportation can be life-changing for patients who need to travel long distances for specialized treatment, and this service aligns well with Clarksville’s commitment to community health and support.
“Having a qualified airport facility, such as Outlaw Field, positions Clarksville as a strong candidate for this partnership. Beyond the immediate benefit to our residents, this service has the potential to enhance our region’s healthcare connectivity and demonstrate the value of collaboration between volunteer organizations and local communities,” Ms. Luntz added.
To learn more about the LifeLine Pilots service, including how to access it, visit www.lifelinepilots.org.
