posted February 02, 2026

HCA Ft. Walton-Destin Hospital honors flight crew with STEMI Hero Award 

DeFuniak Springs, FL – Feb. 2, 2026 – When every second counts, patients depend on the quick thinking and strong instincts of their medical teams to save their lives, Walton Air Rescue is proud to announce two of its clinicians, Flight Nurse Aley Pitts and Flight Paramedic Katelin Castleberry, were recognized with a STEMI Hero Award from HCA Ft. Walton-Destin Hospital for demonstrating these very traits. This honor was bestowed in a ceremony at the hospital today to highlight the clinical excellence of this emergency air medical flight crew during a recent in-air incident. 

Walton Air Rescue was called when the Walton County Fire Rescue ground ambulance team responded to a call from a patient reporting abdominal pain, but they suspected a more serious underlying condition and believed the patient needed to get to the hospital as quicky as possible. When the flight crew arrived, the patient still only presented symptoms of abdominal pain, but Pitts and Castleberry also believed a more significant issue lurked. While in flight to HCA Ft. Walton-Destin Hospital, they noticed a change in the patient’s cardiac rhythm, so Pitts immediately grabbed a 12-lead ECG (electrocardiogram) that records electrical activity in the heart from 12 different angles. They found their patient was having a STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction), the most serious type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of an artery. 

“Within minutes, our patient went from a benign cardiac rhythm to a STEMI,” said Pitts. “We were coming in on final approach to the hospital, and upon landing, while still running hot [meaning the helicopter’s rotors were still turning], I departed the aircraft and met security and nursing staff at the helipad door. I notified them that the patient was a ‘STEMI alert.’ The patient was met in the ED by the cardiologist within five minutes of arrival and went to the cath lab just moments later, allowing for an extremely short door-to-balloon time.” 

The severity of a STEMI and the resulting lack of oxygen flow means intervention is required in a very short time frame, usually 60 to 90 minutes. Emergency air medical transport allows for the fastest delivery to a cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab), with highly skilled and experienced flight clinicians on board. Walton Air Rescue is a collaboration between the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical service provider. All Air Methods flight nurses and paramedics have a minimum of three years of emergency or critical care experience before joining the flight line, and they undergo intensive on-going training to maintain their clinical excellence. 

The cooperation between the ground crew, flight crew, and hospital staff is critical in providing patients with the best possible care, especially in time-sensitive situations like a STEMI. In the case of this patient, the experience and solid instincts that told both the ground and flight crews that something more than abdominal pain was going on helped save the patient’s life. 

“This award serves as a reminder that thorough patient assessment and reassessment are critical to achieving the best possible outcomes,” said Castleberry. “I’m incredibly proud of the ground crew for their prompt activation, and the hospital staff whose teamwork ensured the patient received the appropriate care without delay. It’s inspiring to see every moving part come together seamlessly for the benefit of the patient.” 

The Walton Air Rescue program started in 2023 to provide air medical transport to the people of the Florida Panhandle. Their helicopters function as flying ICUs, carrying the equipment and medications needed to save lives in emergency situations. Their industry-leading flight nurses and paramedics are trained to provide critical care to patients suffering from trauma due to accidents, cardiac and stroke events, high-risk obstetric emergencies, and more. The crews are equipped with whole blood for transfusions in flight and the ZOLL AutoPulse® NXT automated CPR device to deliver consistent, high-quality compressions for cardiac arrest patients. 

“Receiving this STEMI Award underscores the skill, precision, and teamwork of our Walton Air Rescue Crew,” said Walton County Fire Rescue EMS Chief Wes Evans. “Their ability to deliver fast, high-level cardiac care in the most critical moments in a high-stakes environment continues to play a vital role in making a real difference for patients. We appreciate HCA Fort Walton-Destin Hospital for this recognition.” 

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities it serves and is in-network with most major health insurance providers across the country for emergency air medical services. Additionally, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability while making pre-paid air medical membership unnecessary.