UT LIFESTAR’s first patient transport was October 1, 1984, Campbell County’s first was October 31, 2014

The UT LIFESTAR crew on Tuesday’s WLAF visit by Charlie Hutson and Jim Freeman was comprised of Gary Peltier- Pilot, Andrew Stelzman-Flight Paramedic, Josh Claiborne-Flight Nurse, Steven Koronka-Flight Paramedic and Igor Bebikh-UT LIFESTAR Mechanic.

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- As of today, the medical helicopter UT LIFESTAR and its crews have saved lives and have helped patients have better outcomes for ten years in Campbell County. It’s estimated that UT LIFESTAR has responded to help more than 4,000 patients since it opened its base at the Colonel Tommy C. Stiner Airfield on Oct. 31, 2014. The other four UT LIFESTAR bases are located at Morristown, Sweetwater, Sevierville and Rockwood.

Rapid transport via UT LIFESTAR for Campbell County and the immediate area has dramatically improved transport times compared to ground transportation. “There are no stop signs in a straight line” is how Flight Paramedic Steven Koronka quickly sums it up.

Josh Claiborne, a UT LIFESTAR Flight Nurse. grew up in the valley and is a 2001 graduate of Campbell County High School.

“We’re cruising at 140 miles per hour making what would be an hour trip by ground in only 15 to 20 minutes to UT Medical Center,” said Flight Nurse Josh Claiborne. Claiborne is a Campbell County native growing up in the valley on the east side of La Follette and has been at this UT LIFESTAR base for almost 10 years coming onboard in January 2015.

“It’s a mix of a truly saving someone’s life, but also a big part of it is improved outcomes for folks that otherwise would’ve survived. If we can get them to definitive care faster, their outcome is better; maybe they fully recover from a stroke or fully recover from a heart attack,” said Claiborne.

A new UT LIFESTAR arrived Oct. 1, and it is much quieter than the one it replaced, according to Josh Claiborne.

“Seeing positive outcomes of those who survive is rewarding,” said Koronka. He’s specifically talking about the time a 23-year old young man was critically injured and recovered remarkably.

The Campbell County Base has its own aircraft mechanic in Igor Bebikh.

After getting a call, the crew shoots for lifting off in six to seven minutes, according to Claiborne. “We monitor the scanner a decent amount of the time, and it helps us be ahead should we be needed,” said Claiborne. When UT LIFESTAR is placed on stand-by, the aircraft is prepped, and all we need to do is get in and start it up, says Claiborne.

“We’ve got procedures and training in place to make what we’re doing out here as safe as we possibly can,” said Claiborne.

“If you can find us a 100 by 100 space, most of the time, we can put the aircraft there, particularly in the day time,” said Claiborne. Bridges, on the interstate, in peoples’ yards and even pasture fields on farming accidents are some of the landing zones where Claiborne and fellow crew members have landed. That’s the very neat thing about a helicopter, the versatility and where you can put them to get close to people to help them, according to Claiborne.

“The new aircraft allows us better access to the patient, and that is substantial inside the aircraft. It’s very similar to what you’d be able to do in an ambulance as far as being able to get down beside the patient, perform procedures and get all the way to their feet,” said Josh Claiborne, UT LIFESTAR Flight Nurse.

Claiborne explains that we want to get as close as we reasonably can, within about a hundred yards of where the patient is. Because we don’t want rotor wash to interfere with the rescue efforts, and, in particular, if you’re talking about maybe an overturned tractor or vehicle. It might not be completely stabilized, and being too close could generate enough rotor wash that we could rock the vehicle.

Left to right: Igor Bebikh-UT LIFESTAR Mechanic, Gary Peltier- Pilot, Andrew Stelzman-Flight Paramedic, Josh Claiborne-Flight Nurse and Steven Koronka-Flight Paramedic.

“The bridge of the medical things we can do in the interim, during transport, to get somebody stabilized and even facilitate them getting, maybe, that heart Cath or getting some of the clot busting medications for strokes; getting that faster,” said Claiborne.

Since October 31, 2024, the Campbell County UT LIFESTAR base has been staffed 24/7/365 with a three man crew working 12-hour shifts, 7am and 7pm. There are living quarters for each crew member are the hanger at Stiner Airfield. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/31/2024-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

Related