On Saturday July 12th, over 240 cyclists took off from Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, in the 5th Annual Emergency Services and Friends Cycle. Included were Muddy Angels Kieran Henry from Cork City, Gary Parkinson and Chris Grant from Northern Ireland, and Greg Castillo from New Hampshire. The ride took off from the Skibbereen Fire Station, and went through Drimoleague, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, and Leap, before returning to Skibbereen. The weather was beautiful, the sites were great, and the support was great. We received help from the Health Services Executive, Cork County Fire Brigade, and the Garda. All of our rest stops were sponsored by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Overall, over $50,000 euros were raised ($79,000+ USD)

You can’t describe the beauty of the country we rode through. The best I can say is look at a postcard, and then imagine a whole rolling landscape of fields, grasslands, hills, and and farms. The hills weren’t bad, the winds stayed down, and it never rained. Overall, you can’t ask for anything better. The people were great, the food was good, and the bars afterward were exceptional. The Irish phrase is ‘craic’ meaning goods times or to party hard/party hearty. Let me tell you, the craic in Skibbereen was excellent!

Sent over by Jennifer was almost thirty T-shirts, as well as Muddy Angels pins, stickers, and wrist bands. Also, FDNY gear was donated by Mike Potasso, and I brought over T-shirts, patches and a few other things. Between selling and giving away items, we managed to raise some money, spread awareness of our cause, and hopefully recruit a handful of people to come over next year. I hope every Muddy Angel stays safe, around the country and around the world, until we can meet again. Look forward to seeing everybody next may in New York!

I just got a call from Keiran and some Irish Muddy Angels direct from Ireland!

Of course their ride is today. The weather is beautiful there, clouds and sun. I spoke with Greg (aka Borat) who is our representative there! He said the hills are easier than Virginia and it is a very leisurely ride. He has learned a new word (or at least on he can share), CRAIK (sounds like crack) - to have a good time, to party hard. And he is doing both of those things as well as taking lots of pictures and speaking with a new accent.

I also spoke with Chris Grant, who was supportive of our ride and who’s son was a victim of an injury due to a on-duty accident. He loves our muddy angel! He wants to meet us in person next year!

I wished them all well - and can’t wait to hear more from Greg when he comes home. We really are International Muddy Angels!

Jennifer

I worked very closely with Joe Murawski, who you honored this past year. I was just on your site and I read the note Joe’s wife Debbie wrote you.
I spoke to Debbie after she attended the services and meeting you all. She could not sing the praises of you all load enough. She could not stop talking about Blaine Rackliff from Maine who “carried” Joe to VA.

You all do a great job and I would like to thank you also for honoring my friend and colleague.

Mark Heller

Thank YOU, Mark, and everyone else who gave us the honor of helping to ensure our friends and family aren’t forgotten!

Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The lone survivor of last weekend’s mid-air crash of two medical helicopters died Friday at a hospital here, authorities said. James Taylor was a registered nurse and was flying on one helicopter that was ferrying a patient from the south rim of the Grand Canyon to a Flagstaff hospital.The chopper collided with another medical helicopter last Sunday in a wooded area about a half-mile from the hospital, killing six people aboard the two crafts.Taylor, 36, had been in critical condition since being taken to Flagstaff Medical Center after the fiery crash.He was a registered nurse at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City and was working his second job as a flight nurse in Arizona at the time of the crash.A memorial service for the six people who died in the collision was set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Pine Mountain Amphitheater in Flagstaff. It will be open to the public and the media.Meanwhile, the lead official investigating the fatal crash of two medical helicopters said he’ll have a report ready sometime next week.National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron Sauer said his team continues to look at surveillance video, interview with witnesses and hospital staff to determine what happened before the choppers collided.The engine control units from both aircraft also are being sent to the manufacturer in Hartford, Conn., to extract data about the helicopters’ altitude and speed.Earlier in the week, investigators picked through the wreckage. They found that the tail of one helicopter showed signs that it had been hit by a rotor blade.The Federal Aviation Administration said the Flagstaff collision was only the second mid-air crash involving a medical helicopter in the past 25 years, and the first that involved two medical aircraft.One of the helicopters was operated by Air Methods from Englewood, Colo., and the other was from Classic Helicopters of Woods Cross, Utah.

Here’s the results of the vote for the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, Inc - 2009 Board of Directors
Congratulations to all. I’m sure the new BOD will work hard towards a successful 2009 Ride.
Thank you all for taking the time to vote — The Board is always open and available to listen to your hopes/wishes/concerns.

Jennifer Frenette President
Hugh Killam Vice President
Carl Blondell Secretary
Karen Doczy-Bordi Treasurer
Steve Berry PIO
Doug Martin Web Master
Susan Erwin Director at Large
Mike Potasso Director / Ride Coordinator
Jeni Phillips Director / Ride Coordinator
Ted LaRochelle Director / Ride Coordinator
Stuart Redfearn Director / Ride Coordinator

Respectfully - Carl Blondell, Secretary
National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, Inc

This is a tough one folks–two medical helicopters collide with a huge loss of life.

By AMANDA LEE MYERS and CHRIS KAHN, Associated Press Writer

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Two medical helicopters collided Sunday about a half-mile from a northern Arizona hospital, killing six people and critically injuring a nurse, a federal official said. Two emergency workers on the ground were injured after the crash.

Three of the fatalities were aboard a Bell 407 helicopter operated by Air Methods out of Englewood, Colo. At least one of the dead was the patient.

Three others were killed aboard another Bell 407 helicopter operated by Classic Helicopters of Woods Cross, Utah. A fourth person on that helicopter was critically injured.

Classic Helicopters spokesman Matt Stein said his company’s crew was landing at the hospital carrying a patient with a medical emergency from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Stein said the helicopter’s pilot, paramedic and patient all died in the crash. A flight nurse was in critical condition at Flagstaff Medical Center.

“We’ve been in business 20 years, and these are the first fatalities we’ve experienced,” Stein said. “They were all heroes. They were out doing a great service for their communities.”

Stein didn’t tell The Associated Press the names of the crash victims, except to say that the pilot for Classic was experienced with over 10,000 hours of flight time. He added that it’s rare for two medical helicopters to attempt to land at a hospital at the same time.

Flagstaff Medical Center doesn’t have flight controllers, he said, and it’s up to the pilots to watch each other as they approach.

“It’s just a very unfortunate tragedy,” Stein said.

Air Methods officials didn’t immediately return calls from the AP on Sunday.

Capt. Mark Johnson, a spokesman for the Flagstaff Fire Department, said the helicopters crashed in a wooded area about a half-mile from Flagstaff Medical Center. The helicopters spread debris across the scene.

“They’re not recognizable as helicopters,” he said.

Johnson said two emergency workers with a ground ambulance company suffered minor burns in an explosion on one of the aircraft after the crash. The injuries were not life-threatening, he said.

The FAA is sending inspectors to investigate.

The crash started a 10-acre brush fire that authorities were able to extinguish, said Coconino County sheriff’s spokesman Gerry Blair.

Just a reminder to all 2008 participants that the voting for the 2009 BoD is going on with the polls closing on June 30th.

Get in there and vote!

I thought I’d let you know how Kaleb is doing. I haven’t heard from his dad today as to whether he’d talked to him (I know he has) and how Kaleb is feeling.

He’s not been making the trip as fas as he thought. He was so excited about the trip he didn’t sleep much on Friday night so got a later start on Saturday than he’d intended and then had to deal with nasty weather and instead of Rantoul, Illinois, he made it to Attica, Indiana and stopped for the night. Second night was in Rantoul and he pulled in early to rest. Yesterday he made it to Normal, IL and is near a bike shop so I wonder if he’s having some sort of problem with his bike that he couldn’t fix.

He really liked the shirt. He put it on and had a picture made with Linda and I that’s posted up on both CrazyGuyOnABike and on his MySpace page. He said it would give him inspiration to keep going. His tracking shows him still in Normal.

I’m not sure if he’ll be checking emails but his emails are panamared75@aol.com or klbasey@indiana.edu. He doesn’t have to be back until August 27 when IU orientation starts so he still has a bit of time. Hopefully this will go better from here on.

It would be ok if you want to put this up on the Muddy Angels site. The more watching over him, the better.

Take care.

Al

Greetings to all the riders and our thanks to all who rode to honor our fallen Heroes. Our son, Jeremy, was one honored in 2007. His best friend\’s son, Kaleb Basey, is starting in the morning on a cross country bike ride from Markleville, Indiana to Oregon. He\’s got a GPS tracker on him so that we (and anyone interested) can follow him as he rides.
He’s interested in doing the Memorial Ride next year. He and Jeremy were good friends as well.

Tracking information is at
https://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?&glId=1G7ndYtMLAnA72pzdDNVXDzDeEk0faE5I&linkPwd=kalebbasey
and his trip routing is under his MySpace account.

If anyone along his route happens to see him riding, please give him a word of encouragement, and if possible, let us know where he is.

Thanks

Al Rodecap
Father of Jeremy Rodecap
Middletown/Fall Creek EMS
Last Call December 3, 2005

Hey everyone,

It is another sad day for the fire and EMS service, in Delaware about 2:40 this morning there was a single vehicle ambulance MCV, the ambulance was en route to the hospital with a full crew and a patient. It is very sad to say that we lost a sussex county medic and the patient. Please keep your prayers with Stephanie (medic) her family and the patient family and the crew for a fast recovery….

News Article

I will have more information as it becomes available to me. Thanks and everyone please take care of yourself and partners….

Chris Manganelli