GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — When they get the call they know it's critical. The mission of Aero Med Crew members is to save lives, when every second counts.
There's one member of the team who's kept the air ambulances flying for more than three decades.
"Wow, 34 years? Yes, I, first, I just I'm blessed to be able to have a job that's that I've been able to stay in one place to having the job security. And I'm very thankful and grateful for that," said David Wyma, Aero Med mechanic at Corewell Health.
It all started in 1990.
"I was planning to go to the mission field to be a pilot mechanic. So I was a pilot and a mechanic and I interviewed here… I was originally told no, and they hired someone else. But God had his hand in it. And I ended up being hired in later when that individual didn't work out," said Wyma.
Wyma was just starting his career at Aero Med as a mechanic. He was young, ambitious and ready to ignite the fire within him with his passion for aviation. On March 12 he marked 34 years at Corewell Health Aero Med, dedicating his expertise to working on these aircrafts. He's considered a legacy, setting the example for helping others.
"As a legacy, I just think that that we have maintained the aircraft in a safe, efficient manner and being able to have the crew trust us to be able to when they go out into the aircraft, that they're able to get in the aircraft and fly safely to where they're headed and safely back," said Wyma.
Over the past 34 years, Wyma has flown and worked on different aircrafts. He is also a veteran of the Navy. As the director of aviation maintenance, Wyma deals with paperwork for aircraft mechanics, operations and avionic technology. Wyma said he realized quickly that he was not only a mechanic, he was a part of a medical team to help people.
"So I think the impact for me early on was the fact that though I'm doing my part as a mechanic, it impacted me later on that when I heard some of the stories of the scenes that we had went to and the fact that I though it's a background thing, I was a part of that," said Wyma.
He makes sure the team is ready to go when they get the call.
"If we get a call the flight communications will send out a tone on our 800 megahertz radios. And then the Med Team will get themselves together, the pilot will be checking if we need to check weather, and then they head towards the aircraft. And as we hangar doors are opening, and the aircraft's being pushed out, sometimes there's some communication from the Med Team," said Wyma.
Wyma knows every day when he gets the call, every second counts. Wyma hopes to continue to work, keeping the aircraft flying and helping others.
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