RECOGNIZING DONNA MILLER

HON. DEAN HELLER

OF NEVADA

IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE

February 25, 2016

Mr. HELLER: Mr. President, today, I wish to recognize an individual who has gone above and beyond to save lives in the state of Nevada, Donna Miller. Ms. Miller’s drive to provide a dependable health care option to the people of Tonopah is commendable. Her actions warrant only the greatest gratitude and recognition, and I am proud to honor her for her invaluable work for people across the Silver State.  

Ms. Miller was born in Romania and immigrated to the United States in 1991. In 1996, she graduated from nursing school and moved to Las Vegas three years later. She obtained her flight nurse wings in 2001, beginning her career caring for others. In 2002, she helped found Life Guard International Air Ambulance, and in 2007, she reorganized it into Life Guard International - Flying ICU (Flying ICU). This incredible organization serves as a flying intensive care unit, transporting critically ill and injured patients from one hospital to another that offers more resources in a different location.

Beginning in 2009, Flying ICU served as a necessary resource to the Tonopah community, transporting all ill and injured patients from the Nye Regional Medical Center to facilities in Las Vegas and Reno. Unfortunately, last fall, the Nye Regional Medical Center closed its doors, leaving this rural community with a devastating lack of access to health care. After the Medical Center’s closing, Ms. Miller courageously decided to keep Flying ICU’s Tonopah location, changing the organization to an emergency medical service, which treats and transports patients by plane while traveling to the closest hospital in Las Vegas or Reno. This service currently is the only resource in the region for the critically ill and injured to receive life-saving care. Ms. Miller also took the initiative to relocate a second plane to Tonopah and increase staff with additional critical care nurses, paramedics, and pilots to provide greater services to the local community. In order to minimize the amount of time that Tonopah’s flight crews were away from the Tonopah station, Ms. Miller organized additional Flying ICU flight crews on standby at Nevada airports to allow patients to be further transported by the standby crew, allowing the flight crew to return to the station in a timely manner. Ms. Miller’s work on this organization is one of a kind, and I am thankful for her work in saving the lives of Nevadans. Her decision to step up to the plate and provide the Tonopah community many medical resources it would otherwise be without remains invaluable for our state.  

Today, Flying ICU’s services reach across the state, saving lives with four aircrafts, a hangar at McCarran International Airport, and operation bases in Las Vegas and Tonopah. The organization employs over 50 medical and aviation professionals to help those in need. Flying ICU’s reputation of safe and quality care is well deserved.

In 2014, Ms. Miller was elected as the President of the Nevada Nurses Association, District Three. She has received many awards for her actions, including being recognized as Ambassador for Peace by the International Women’s Federation for World Peace in 2014, SBA’s Nevada Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award in 2014, the 2014 Women of Distinction Awards – Entrepreneur of the Year, and as one of Las Vegas’ 2015 Top 100 Women of Influence. These accolades are given only to those who have done extraordinary acts to earn them, and Ms. Miller without a doubt deserves each one. Nevada is fortunate to have someone like Ms. Miller representing our state. She is a shining example of selflessness for myself and others.

Ms. Miller has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our state, saving lives and providing care to Nevadans in need. Her drive to help those around her is inspiring, and I thank her for all of her hard work. I ask my colleagues and all Nevadans to join me in thanking Ms. Miller for her many contributions to our state. I wish her well as she continues her efforts to help those in need and in servicing the City of Tonopah and those across central Nevada.