A consortium of local and regional organizations partnered to benefit a COVID-19 patient at Tahoe Forest Hospital, delivering much needed Remdesivir from the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA.
The lifesaving drug is an experimental antiviral approved by the FDA to be used for treatment of the coronavirus. Six vials of the powdered drug were flown from San Jose International Airport to the Truckee Tahoe Airport and delivered to Tahoe Forest Hospital.
It was no small task to make the delivery happen. Tena Mather at Tahoe Forest Hospital reached out to Kim Blix and Alison Lehman at Nevada County stating that help was needed in procuring the much needed Remdesivir. Nevada County put out the word and got a response back from Daniel Franklin at Santa Clara County that Stanford University Medical Center had the drug available, but that Nevada County/Tahoe Forest Hospital would need to come get it. Kim Blix at Nevada County knew that Mountain Lion Aviation and Truckee Tahoe Airport District had previously helped with COVID-19 community needs. Kim reached out to Hardy Bullock with the Truckee Tahoe Airport District who organized the flight with Mountain Lion Aviation. The plane used to transport the drug a Pilatus PC-12, and its pilot Chris Barbera were donated by Mountain Lion Aviation. The Truckee Tahoe Airport District donated the fuel for the flight.
Kim Blix, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Nevada County Alison Lehman, County Executive Officer, Nevada County Daniel Franklin, EMS Deputy Chief , Santa Clara County Tena Mather RPh, Director of Pharmacy, Tahoe Forest Hospital District Chris Barbera, CEO, Mountain Lion Aviation Hardy Bullock, Director of Aviation & Community Services, Truckee Tahoe Airport District
Pictured with Mountain Lion Aviation’s Pilatus PC-12 aircraft L-R: Tena Mather, Tahoe Forest Hospital, Chris Barbera, Mountain Lion Aviation, Hardy Bullock, Truckee Tahoe Airport District
