Friends of Airlife
May 13, 2023, 8:00 AM
The Hudson Gardens and Event Center, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive. Littleton, CO 80120-1818
May 13, 2023, 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
The Hudson Gardens and Events Center, 6115 S Santa Fe Dr, Littleton, CO 80120, USA
The race route is pictured below!
Volunteer
The Colorado Friends of First Responders memorial run relies on volunteers to ensure the success of this great event. Volunteers are needed for setting up on race day, cleaning up after race day, and assisting during the event itself. Click the button above for more information.
About
We are a Colorado nonprofit organization grown out of the grassroots effort to build the AIRLIFE Memorial Park and is comprised of individuals representing multiple EMS, fire and ambulance services, both private and public. Each year additional agencies and individuals join “Friends” in planning and accomplishing this Annual Memorial & EMS Celebration. Proceeds from this charitable event go toward EMS and Air Medical safety initiative, providing free EMS education, scholarship, and charitable assistance for families of fallen heroes. The scholarship is awarded to individuals who have successfully completed a HealthOne Paramedic Program. The recipient must show a passion and commitment to the profession of EMS.
Colorado Friends of First Responders host a number of events throughout the year that focus on EMS education, Air Medical Transport Safety, and our commitment to our communities.
Mission Statement
Colorado Friends of First Responders was founded to honor and celebrate the AirLife crew members who dies on December 14th, 1997. Its ongoing mission is to commemorate first responders who have suffered death or disability in the line of duty and to provide them and their families financial and educational resources. Colorado Friends of First Responders is also committed to the first responder community and providing support for their education and training
Colorado Friends of First Responders Vision
The Colorado Friends of First Responders vision is to memorialize Colorado First Responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty through community events; to provide resources to support the education and training of first responders in our state via fundraising; and by creating public awareness of first responders and the valuable service they provide.
Sponsors
Air Methods has built its reputation on a commitment to quality patient care and safety in aviation operations. Since 1980, we have been dedicated to air medical transport and have grown to become the most experienced air medical operator in the industry. Transcending three decades, we continue to maintain our industry-leading position.
While we call Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado home, our operations expand from Alaska to Key West. Currently, we have more than 300 bases of operations that serve 48 states. We operate eight maintenance centers of excellence throughout the nation and a national communications center.
Over the last 20 years since founded, our HealthONE Family of Hospitals has expanded dramatically to become the largest hospital system and one of the largest employers in the Denver Metro area.
Our system has grown to include 10,000 employees, eight hospitals, six stand-alone emergency departments, 17 ambulatory surgery centers, 30 imaging centers, dozens of clinics and the premier medical transport service, AirLIFE Denver. With a mission focused on the care and improvement of human life, our desire to serve patients is at the core of every decision.
Carepoint was established in 1996 and began operations with HealthONE as the exclusive provider for Emergency Care and Pediatric Emergency Care. In 2013, CarePoint added Blue Sky Neurology as a division providing acute neurology, outpatient neurology and telemedicine. Most recently, in 2014, CarePoint initiated professional coverage for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at the Medical Center of Aurora. CarePoint is the largest private medical group practice in Colorado with approximately 450,000 annual patient encounters.
CarePoint provides professional coverage at all HealthONE EDs and Free Standing EDs, Pediatric ED coverage at 5 HealthONE Hospitals (the 6th does not provide dedicated Pediatric ED services), and all HealthONE neurology coverage with the exception of NSMC. In addition, CarePoint provides all HealthONE teleneurology as well as providing neurology call coverage at 16 facilities in total throughout the Denver metro area. CarePoint utilizes Physician Assistants (PAs) in both practices, and scribes in the ED practice.
Donate
Colorado Friends of First Responders is a Colorado nonprofit organization whose current Mission is to remember and support all EMS and Air Medical Professionals those who have lost their lives in the line of duty while advancing the future of air medical and emergency services personnel through training and education.
Our Mission has grown from its original purpose: a grassroots effort to build an area to honor the AirLife crew members who died in the crash of helicopter N771AL on December 14, 1997 while on a lifesaving flight. This original mission was fulfilled when, on May 16, 1998, the AirLife Memorial Park was dedicated – a wonderfully calm and reflective area beside a riveron the crash site that includes a fountain and stone seating in a beautifully landscaped park-like setting -- accomplished with financial donations from both public and private contributors.
Currently, in addition to maintaining the Memorial Park, fundraising proceeds go toward the Jim Ulrich Silver Falcon EMS Award for outstanding dedication to the EMS Profession, EMS education in the form of scholarships and seminars, EMS and Air Medical safety education as well as charitable assistance for Air and Emergency Medical Services personnel injured or killed in the line of duty.
Colorado Friends of First Responders is a 501(c)(3) Organization
If you would prefer to make a donation via check,
Make check payable to: Colorado Friends of First Responders
and mail to :
Colorado Friends of First Responders
PO Box 620831
Littleton, CO 80162
The James Alan Ulrich Scholarship award is dedicated to the beloved Friends of AirLife Co-founder “Jim” Ulrich, who lost his battle with Leukemia. The scholarship is awarded to deserving individuals who have successfully completed a HealthOne Paramedic Program. The recipient shows a passion in their career, continues the mission of Jim in the pursuit of excellence through education, compassion, and growth.
On the donation page, Please notate you would like the funds directed to the scholarship fund.
In Memoriam
AIR LIFE DENVER LOST A FORMER LEADER, PROMOTER AND FRIEND JAMES C. “JIM” MCSHANE ON APRIL 8, 2017 AFTER A VALIANT FIGHT WITH CANCER.
Jim was the founding father and first director of AIR LIFE Denver in 1983 when Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Healthcare launched the program. Jim was a staunch supporter and promoter of AIR LIFE throughout the program’s history. In the early years of AIR LIFE he quickly grew the program in size and service area by building strong relationships in rural areas through community outreach and medical specialty clinics. AIR LIFE was literally Jim’s vehicle for these efforts as the service became the critical link between rural healthcare and tertiary care offered by Presbyterian/St. Luke’s sic. today’s HealthONE. Not to ignore Dr. McShane’s previous leadership at the Colorado Emergency Medical Services Division, he also advocated for EMS training, EMS Medical Direction, trauma system development and the use of air medical transport “When Minutes Counted” a mission he continued as a healthcare Chief Executive. Always conscientious of cost in healthcare Jim commanded a tight ship but sought more than a return on investment. Jim always balanced cost with community investment, and sought like-minded professionals to promote and develop innovative healthcare. He can be credited with building AIR LIFE’s first base in Aurora Colorado, developing an EMS Communications and Referral Center, promoting specialty transport for neonates, adding a dedicated fixed wing air medical service, as well as finding the best and the brightest healthcare providers to support the AIR LIFE mission. Among his many accomplishments and awards, Jim always had a personal pride for all that AIR LIFE Denver has become.
Jim is survived by his wife of 45 years, Georgiana "GiGi" Gonzalez McShane, whom he married in San Diego, Calif. He is the proud father of daughter, Kelly McShane Hoke and son, Michael McShane of Littleton,Co.
“God Speed Our Friend”
