Mazzuca Enterprises, Inc. and Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac Agree To Resume Services at Mazzuca Heliport in Pottsville, Pa.

Air medical flights expected to resume as early as this week

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (June 24, 2008) - Based on the preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and after a thorough review by Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH) MedEvac, Mazzuca Enterprises, Inc. and Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) have agreed to resume medical transport services at the Mazzuca Helipad in Pottsville, Pa.

Service is expected to resume the week of June 23.

According to the NTSB/FAA report, on Friday, May 30, shortly after takeoff from the Mazzuca Helipad en route to a motorcycle accident, the Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac 7 helicopter experienced a hard landing. The pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic suffered only minor injuries.

"Michael and Joseph Mazzuca have given considerable thought to the incident, the preliminary report from the NTSB and FAA, and the MedEvac program," said Sudhir Patel, spokesperson for Mazzuca Enterprises, Inc. "They have taken into account the concerns as well as the needs of the community and felt strongly enough about the findings of the preliminary report that they decided to continue their relationship with the Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac program."

Patel said the Mazzucas based their decision on the "tremendous reputation" and experience of both LVHHN and the MedEvac program and the lives that have been saved. Patel said another important factor was the support the Mazzucas personally have received from the community in favor of continuing the service.

Patel also added that after the Mazzucas reviewed the NTSB/FAA report and after seeing first hand where the pilot was able to land the helicopter, they were convinced that there was little threat of mass casualties or substantial property damage. "The helicopter did not fly at a low altitude over houses or populated schools and areas," said Patel. "The most substantial damage was to the helicopter itself."

"After reviewing the NTSB report and with the findings of our own investigation, we believe this to be an isolated incident," said John Ward, LVHHN's vice president of trauma services. "We have the utmost confidence in our crew, pilots, mechanics and our vendor, Air Methods, to provide continued, safe service to the Schuylkill County community. Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac will continue to provide this area with greatly needed rapid access to specialty services at LVHHN."

To date, there have been 270 Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac flights out of the Mazzuca Helipad since establishing operations there in May 2007. Following the hard landing, LVHHN voluntarily suspended operations from that location.

Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac operates four aircraft from helicopter bases in Berks, Carbon, Monroe and Schuylkill counties. Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac has served the Lehigh Valley region with air medical transport for more than 26 years, flying more than 40,000 critically injured patients. LVHHN contracts with a vendor to provide the helicopters, pilots and maintenance crews, and LVHHN provides the medical team. The MedEvac program operates in conjunction with LVHHN's Level I Trauma Center with added pediatric qualifications, the only one of its kind in the region. LVHHN's program operates as Lehigh Valley Hospital MedEvac, in association with Air Methods, the world's largest air ambulance operator.

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