Thank You From J. Kevin Croston, MD, North Memorial Health Care Chief Executive Officer
There are times when the words “thank you” just don’t seem powerful enough to express one’s true feeling of gratitude. This is one such time.
Just after 2 a.m. on Saturday, September 17, one of our helicopters crashed with three of our North Memorial Health Care crew members aboard near the Alexandria, Minnesota airport.
In that early morning darkness, life-saving professionalism and compassionate teamwork shined brightly with the common goal of getting our injured folks to medical care.
I would like to thank our fellow health care colleagues and first responders for their amazing response to the crash. The teams from Valley Med Flight, Life Link III, Alexandria Fire Department, Alexandria Police Department, Douglas County Hospital and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department are true professionals, and we appreciate their partnership. To those others whose names we did not get along the way I also say thank you.
I would also like to thank all of the health care professionals, EMS agencies, police agencies and fire departments for the support we as an organization have received from across the nation.
Each and everyday lives are saved in our region by various health care professionals working collectively for the good of our patients.
The care our folks received from a team of professionals was remarkable.
With heartfelt gratitude,
J. Kevin Croston, MD, North Memorial Health Care Chief Executive Officer
9/18/16 14:20 UPDATE:
We would like to thank our fellow health care colleagues and first responders for their amazing response to the helicopter incident Saturday morning. The teams from Valley Med Flight, Life Link, Douglas County Hospital and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department are true professionals and we appreciate their partnership.
We would also like to thank all of the health care professionals, EMS agencies, police agencies and fire departments for the support we have received from across the nation.
9/17/16 13:00 UPDATE:
North Memorial Health Care and the families of our three helicopter crew members who were injured earlier today would like to thank the community for their outpouring of support The families are respectfully asking for privacy during this time.
North Memorial Helicopter Statement
A North Memorial Health Care helicopter crashed en route to the Alexandria airport at 2:07 a.m.
Three North Memorial crew members were injured. All three crew members are in critical condition.
There were no patients on board.
The FAA and the NTSB have been notified.
“I am extremely proud of our team members for their response at the site,” commented J. Kevin Croston, MD, CEO of North Memorial Health Care. “Our immediate concern is with our crew members who are now being treated at North Memorial Medical Center. We are glad they are here. There is no better place to receive care.”
North Memorial will release additional information as it becomes available.