Plane lands at county airport to transport heart to patient in Washington D.C. area
Jun. 17—The availability of the Schuylkill County Joe Zerbey Regional Airport helped give someone in Washington, D.C., a second chance at life.
Bill Willard, airport manager, was told by doctors and pilots, who were on a Lear 31 jet, that the airport was essential in trying to save a life. The doctors would transport a heart from Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, to Washington after landing Wednesday at the airport.
"We would not have been able to pull this off," Willard said they told him.
Willard received a call at 1 a.m., saying an air ambulance requested use after attempts to contact other airports were unsuccessful.
He used light-up wands to guide the jet for the 2:08 a.m. arrival.
"When it landed, it had four heart surgeons and two nurses. They were in scrubs and everything," Willard said.
They disembarked, and headed to the hospital in Danville. Everyone departed at 7:34 a.m., landing at Dulles International Airport at 8 a.m. No information was available about the heart transplant patient.
This is the fifth air ambulance that landed at the airport this year, Willard said.
The extension of the runway to 5,100 feet has provided benefits — in this case, potentially life-saving. Willard said some aircraft need the extra length to land safely.
Noble Quandel, a member of the airport board, said the airport's role in saving a life should be praised.
Frank Zukas, airport board member, said the investment in the airport is worthy.
"The airport is an asset," he said.
Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023
