LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18) — At least two medical rescue helicopters sustained damage at the London-Corbin Airport over the weekend, while crews narrowly escaped harm as they prepared for severe weather conditions.
Cleanup efforts were well underway at Air Evac Lifeteam 179’s London base on Monday, after this weekend's storms left a trail of devastation behind.
The base's helicopter suffered extensive damage, and its hangar area was unrecognizable.
The crew's office had its windows smashed, with shards of glass sticking out of the walls and holes where debris flew in at high speeds.
According to Program Manager Letch Day, remnants of the outside ramp were found approximately 200 yards away, and the mailbox was discovered about half a mile from its original location.
Inside the battered office, two pilots, a nurse and a paramedic who were unable to reach a storm shelter in time took refuge in a laundry room.
This room emerged unscathed from the tempest while the rest suffered significant damage.
"It means God had their hand on them. The room that they were in had zero damage inside that facility," Day said.
One helicopter was lost from this base, but the community retains access to eight operational helicopters ready to deploy within 30 minutes.
Nearby, PHI Air Medical London 2 also lost its helicopter’s hangar in a collapse over the weekend. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among their crew.
Day said the Air Evac first responders, now survivors, are recovering at home.
"Everybody seems to be doing okay. They're still shaken, but they're doing good," he said.
