Thomas C. Caldwell Classic LifeGuard Page, Arizona

There is no greater calling than to have an opportunity to save a life with the tools and skills we have spent years honing, for those precious few minutes we have with a patient.

Tom Caldwell, 55, of Page, Arizona, was killed in the line of duty on June 29, 2008. He was part of a medical team that was involved in a medical transfer when the helicopter he was piloting collided with another when attempting a landing near Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona.

Caldwell was a pilot for Classic LifeGuard; he was involved in search and rescue, firefighting patrol, law enforcement and field EMS practices in the Grand Canyon. Tom flew medical helicopters for Tri-State Care Flight and Classic LifeGuard. He had more than 14,000 hours of combined flight time.

Tom served six years as a warrant officer flying rotor-wing missions both in the United States and overseas. He served as an instructor pilot, unit trainer, instrument and maintenance officer, as well as the Army Reserves in Los Alamitos, California, for five years. He also served his country in Vietnam, Germany, and Korea. Pilot Caldwell loved spending his free time with his wife and boys and working on computers, radios and anything electronic. He volunteered for Glen Canyon Recreation Area as an operator for Remotely Operated Vehicle for recovery missions on Lake Powell. He loved boating, fishing, photography and amateur radio.

Honored 2009 National EMS Memorial