Published September 30. 2026 12:08PM
Lehigh Valley Health Network/Jefferson Health System celebrated 45 years of providing MedEvac operations to a large population including the Lehigh Valley and northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
Beginning in 1981, the program has transported 105,000 patients who were in need of immediate care at a hospital. The program was named “Every Minute Counts,” which acknowledges the need for a rapid response.
Attending the event were flight medics and nurses, physicians, administrators and support personnel. The program master of ceremonies was Bryan Evans, director of the program’s critical care and emergency transport.
Evans highlighted the professionalism of all who made the program the success it is today.
Currently, the MedEvac program has four helicopters provided by Air Methods, a Quakertown company that provides the helicopters and pilots that serve LVHN/Jefferson.
Mike Adams, Tim Hickey, Barry Mitchneck, Tom Rothrock, Doug Deutsch, Ray Pagenhardt, Rich Kuklentz, Joe Rice and Dwight Bitting, flight medics and nurses for 30 or more years, gather in front of Medic 1 during the Lehigh Valley Health Network/Jefferson Health “Every Minute Counts” MedEvac program’s 45th anniversary celebration Sept. 9 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, 1200 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Allentown.
PRESS PHOTOS BY LOU WHEELANDFlight nurse James Kish holds son Andrew in front of MedEvac 1 at the event.
The leadership team for the program includes Ryan Hay, vice president of emergency management; Joe Rycek, chief flight nurse; Adam Garger, MedEvac manager; Bryan Evans, director of critical care and emergency transport; Colin Hunsicker, development manager; Dr. Jeffrey Kuklinski, medical director; and Dr. Zach Matuzsan, assistant medical director.
