Gentex partners with UK air ambulance organization to save lives

Gentex prides itself on creating the most advanced protective equipment for emergency personnel – so they can focus on saving lives.

The Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), a charity operated helicopter emergency medical service in the United Kingdom, trust their safety to the Gentex ALPHA 900 rotary wing helmet. On a return flight, pilot John McCallion and co-pilot and critical care paramedic, Keith Rutherford, experienced a bird strike. The bird flew through the windscreen, at around 160 miles per hour, hitting the left side of Mr. Rutherford’s helmet. The helmet took minimal damage – just a few minor scratches. The ALPHA 900 flight helmet protected Mr. Rutherford from the bird and windscreen fragments caused by the impact and both Mr. Rutherford and the pilot were protected from wind blast at high speed.  Mr. Rutherford said simply, “Our helmets saved us, no doubt about it.”

As a sign of gratitude for their hard work, Chris Bridge, sales channel manager at Gentex, along with our partners at Key Survival Equipment, presented the critical care paramedic with a new Alpha 900 helmet to wear as he continues to help save lives across his communities. Upon presenting, Mr. Bridge shared, “We are really proud at Gentex to support our air ambulance customers, who provide such a valuable service to the community.”

About Gentex Corporation:

With a history of innovation that spans over 125 years, Gentex Corporation is a leading supplier of products that advance personal protection and situational awareness for global defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel operating in high-performance environments. Our portfolio includes helmet system platforms, hearing protection and communications products, and capability upgrades for defense and security forces sold under the Gentex and Ops-Core brands, as well as PureFlo industrial respiratory protection systems. Privately held, Gentex is headquartered in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, and supports its global customers through a worldwide distributor network and seven other facilities in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. Learn more at www.gentexcorp.com