| Year Honored | |
|---|---|
| 2009 | |
| Honoree | |
| Raymond Watson | |
| Agency | |
| Mountain LifeFlight | |
| Agency City | |
| Susanville | |
| Agency State | |
| CA | |
| Last Call | |
| 3/21/02 | |
| Cause of Death | |
| Medical Aviation Accident | |
| Biography | |
| Ray was highly respected by his peers and was one of the best pilots. Air medical transport is a unique community service. They must be trained to provide fast, efficient, safe transport, and be capable of giving advanced treatment.<br /> <br /> Raymond Watson, 50, died in the line of duty on March 21, 2002. He and his medical team were on their return trip after transporting a patient to Reno, Nevada, when the helicopter crashed into the cold waters of Honey Lake outside of Susanville, California.<br /> <br /> Ray had been employed with Mountain LifeFlight for nine years. He flew the UH58 Bell Long Range Scout reconnaissance while serving in the United States Army in Vietnam. He later was certified as an instructor for future military helicopter pilots. Chief Pilot Watson logged over 12,000 hours in his flying career.<br /> <br /> "One always felt safe when flying with Ray Watson; he was such a good pilot, always checking over things carefully before each flight," stated a colleague. He will be missed by his family as well as his co-workers.<br /> <br /> Honored 2009 |
The United States Official National EMS Memorial Service
