2011 Jim Charlson Aviation Safety Award Sponsored by American Eurocopter - Kent Johnson

The Jim Charlson Award recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development, and promotion of aviation and aviation safety within the air-medical transport community. And this year's award winner fits the bill perfectly. We are honored to announce that the 2011 Jim Charlson Award goes to Kent Johnson, from Intermountain Life Flight in Utah.

Kent has showed unparalleled dedication to aviation safety and innovation since starting his career in 1978. Kent developed one of the first gravitationally activated emergency locator transmitters as well as one of the first certified lithium transmitters. He has accumulated more than 7,500 hours of accident-free flying with Intermountain Life Flight since 1998. He has helped develop and still maintains the Intermountain Life Flight Western States Helipad Database, which allows all HEMS programs operating in the Intermountain West to see photographic images of area helipads and any potential hazards during approach and departure. Under Kent's direction, Intermountain Life Flight became one of the early adopters of the 'Pre-flight Risk Assessment Score', a safety practice encouraged by both the FAA and the CAMTS..

What makes Kent extraordinary is not only what he has done to encourage program and regional safety, but safety within the air medical community-at-large. He has spoken nationally about the need for proper crew rest and sleep as an important risk mitigation factor. Under Kent's leadership as the National EMS Pilots Association President, several important safety initiatives were created around reducing the risks associated with fatigue including the 'No Pressure Initiative,' now embraced by many national organizations within the air medical transport community.

Kent Johnson truly embodies the spirit, memory, and legacy of Jim Charlson's ethic-- 'Safety comes first.'

Please help us honor a very deserving individual, Kent Johnson, as the 2011 Jim Charlson Award winner!

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