[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17594-17595]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   IN REMEMBRANCE OF THREE HEROES; JOHN PITTMAN, LYNN ETHERIDGE, AND 
                           CHARLES ATTEBERRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 1999

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor three Texans, Mr. John 
Pittman, Ms. Lynn Etheridge, and Mr. Charles Atteberry who were 
tragically killed in a helicopter crash while en route to pick up a 
patient as part of the world renowned Hermann Life Flight program. 
Their helicopter crashed in eastern Fort Bend County this past 
Saturday, July 17, 1999. It was the first fatal accident for Hermann 
Life Flight program since its inception in 1976.
  Mr. John Pittman, 58, was an accomplished pilot who worked on Hermann 
Life Flight for much of his career. Ms. Lynn Etheridge, 35, was flight 
nurse who provided quality emergency care services to injured persons. 
Mr. Charles ``Mac'' Atteberry, 32, was a dedicated paramedic who 
provided cutting-edge medical services to trauma care victims. All 
three were

[[Page 17595]]

veteran Memorial Hermann Hospital System employees. Mr. Pittman had 
flown for more than 30 years, including 10 years as Life Flight pilot.
  Hermann Life Flight is one of the most advanced emergency care 
helicopters in existence. Hermann Life Flight has logged more than one 
million air miles and flown more than 60,000 missions. This service is 
available 24 hours a day through the dedicated work of its 14 pilots, 
13 flight nurses, 12 paramedics, 20 communications specialist and 6 
mechanics. The Hermann Life Flight program includes three helicopters 
that provide emergency care services within 150 mile radius throughout 
Texas and western Louisiana. The cost of providing this service is more 
than $3 million annually which is solely funded through community and 
fundraising efforts. The Hermann Life Flight program provides advanced 
emergency life support equipment, including cardiac monitors and 
defibrillators, temporary pacemakers, oxygen and materials for 
immobilization and isolettes for newborns.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring their 
service to the community and in expressing my condolences to the 
families of Mr. Pittman, Ms. Etheridge, and Mr. Atteberry.
  The Greek Poet Homer once wrote that ``life and death are balanced on 
the edge of a razor.'' Their mission, indeed their job, to provide 
medical care to those with the greatest need was simple, but always 
with risk. They saved lives while balancing their own on the edge of a 
razor. Yet, they did this day in and day out. I know that John, Lynn 
and ``Mac'' were deeply committed to the services they provided to the 
greater Houston community. All Texans can be proud of the services they 
provided and the sacrifices they made. They will be missed.
  A private memorial service for the emergency medical service 
community will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist 
Church--Westchase Campus. A public memorial will be held at Rice 
Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

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