On Sept. 29 2005, an Airlift Northwest helicopter crashed while flying from Seattle's Harborview Medical Center to its home base in Arlington. The aircraft went down in Brown’s Bay, just north of Edmonds.
The three people onboard the helicopter died in the crash. The victims were Erin Reed, RN, an adult flight nurse; Lois Suzuki, RN, a pediatric flight nurse; and Steve Smith, a rotary wing pilot employed by CJ Systems Aviation Group.
They left Harborview Medical Center at 9:04 pm to return to their homebase at the Arlington airport about 40 miles north.
LOIS SUZUKI 1958-2005
Kay Suzuki, Lois's mom told me, "She loved what she did as an Airlift Nurse and felt it was the most exciting and self-satisfying work she was involved in. Her laughter was most remembered by all, and boosted everyone's spirit".
ERIN EACHUS REED 1957-2005
From Sandy Brians, Erin's mother, "I want to tell you about wonderful people who are now lost to the air ambulance community and to their family and friends. Erin Reed had been severly burned when a molotov cocktail intended for another couple landed at her feet. She spent 84 days in the hospital and her life was changed dramatically. Erin launched her EMS career as an "ambulance driver". That phrase hated by all EMS medics, but that's what she was. She got her paramedic certifications and worked in Santa Rosa, California. Erin overcame her fear of fire to become a firefighter/paramedic in Marin County California. Erin and her husband moved to Boston where she was unable to find work as a firefighter. She began working for BostonMedFlight as a paramedic while putting herself through school, choosing nursing as a career. While in Boston Erin fell in love with FLIGHT. Upon graduating from school, she joined her husband in Tennessee and went to work in the emergency room of Holston Valley Hospital. She eventually decided to start her new life in Seattle, Washington.When she went to Seattle she persuaded me to get a computer to "keep in touch". I had to go back to the phone as she was not good about returning my e-mails! I saw more of her after the move to Seattle. On one visit to my mom's we talked about her desire to work in flight. She was discouraged as she feared 40 was the age of no return, when the door would close on her dream, and the dreaded birthday was only a few years away. I still remember the phone call telling me she had finally got the job with Airlift. Erin was thrilled, overjoyed, thankful her dream was realized!
More about the crew will be following shortly. I am in contact with Lois and Erin's mothers learning what I can about them.
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