Flight Medic Killed in Medevac Chopper Crash in Wilson County, TN
A longtime flight paramedic was killed and two other crew members were injured when their medevac helicopter crashed Saturday in Wilson County.
Flight Paramedic Allan Williams, who had been with the Vanderbilt's LifeFlight team for 15 years, was killed minutes after taking off from the Music City Executive Airport in Gallatin.
There were no patients aboard, WZTV reported.
The pilot, who has not been identified, and Flight Paramedic Andy Sikes were injured and are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Williams leaves behind his wife and two young sons.
LifeFlight crews and first responders honored Williams by draping him in an American flag, as a procession of vehicles with blue lights followed.
The Wilson County Firefighter Association released a statement Sunday: "We mourn the loss of a dedicated LifeFlight crew member and pray for healing for those injured. Our thoughts are also with our brothers and sisters in the emergency medical community who serve with courage every day.”
Williams’ colleagues say his courage and dedication will not be forgotten, a true “angel in the sky” who took off again and again to save lives. An innately dangerous service Flight nursing and medical aviation remain among the most dangerous roles in emergency medicine, said Rose Agas-Yuu, a flight nurse in Hawaii with nearly 30 years of experience.
“I’ve probably seen close to home three teams go down. They put their lives on the line every day because they know they need to get that patient back- no one else is going to do it.”
The NTSB is investigating.
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Susan Nicol
News Editor
Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.