St. John's celebrates air ambulance, business leader

St. John's Health System will honor Springfield business leader John Q. Hammons during a special ceremony Friday evening.

The health system is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hammons Life Line air-ambulance service, which first took flight July 1, 1984, at University Plaza Convention Center. Hammons donated the money to buy the program's first helicopter.

The Life Line program dispatches from bases in St. Robert, Bolivar and Branson West and airlifts patients from hospitals, homes and crash scenes to the facility of their choice. The program has transported more than 25,500 patients in its 25-year history.

"Mr. Hammons' generosity of funding that first helicopter forever changed and improved our ability to quickly respond and treat patients. And it without a doubt, allowed us to save a countless number of lives," Dr. Charles Sheppard, emergency medicine physician and Life Line medical director, said in a news release.

The Life Line flight crew has 95 trained pilots, registered nurses, paramedics and communication specialists trained in rapid air medical transport.