LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It could take years before the London-Corbin Airport returns to its pre-tornado state following the devastating EF4 tornado that swept through the area. The scene at the airport resembles a junkyard, with aircraft and hangars scattered across the property.
But in the destruction, there’s some hope: one of the air medical teams based at the airport this week has returned to full operational capacity.
Brandi Jett, a flight paramedic who was home during the tornado, described the scene as “heartbreaking.” She recalled flying over the area after the disaster, “Seeing how large the destruction is…is humbling for sure.”
The team at PHI Air Med was forced to seek shelter when the tornado struck. “Dispatchers watching the live feed could see the tornado in Somerset, so we immediately left our base and sought shelter,” said Caleb Sick, a flight paramedic who was at the airport during the storm.
The storm left half of the equipment used for air transport in ruins, with Jett confirming that “most of it is a total loss.” The hangar and PHI Air Med London "2" were destroyed.
“When we stepped outside and saw the damage, I don't think any of us were expecting it,” said Sick.
Despite the tornado and the mess it left behind, patients need to be transported and lives need to be saved. Other PHI Air Med teams have had to step in to cover the gaps caused by the destruction. Sick said, “It takes an entire system, and when you take one component out, it stresses the others.”
This week, the air medical team received a replacement aircraft from Virginia, marking a significant step in their recovery journey. “It's awesome. I’m glad we have an extra aircraft now, the replacement aircraft,” Jett said. “All of the crews are here, and we get to serve the community and do what we do best.”
