Episode 220: Dan Leary, Life Flight Pilot and Chris Pfingsten, Life Flight Paramedic

In this episode of The Real ResQ Podcast, host Jason Quinn welcomes back Dan Leary and introduces Chris Pfingsten, as they share an incredible rescue story—one they were both involved in without even realizing it.

Leary and Pfingsten first crossed paths during a critical mission when a patient fell approximately 20 feet into a ravine and creek bed. At the time, the two were working for separate agencies. Pfingsten, responding with a local agency, was one of the first on scene. Recognizing the difficulty of the extraction, he called for additional support—the U.S. Coast Guard. Unbeknownst to him, Leary, who was flying with the Coast Guard at the time, was the pilot on duty.

Together, they recount the rescue from their unique perspectives, detailing their roles from the moment the call came in to the successful extraction of the patient.

What makes this story even more remarkable? They now work for the same company—yet neither had realized the other was involved in that very rescue. Reliving the mission together, they connect the dots, leading to this episode. Enjoy!

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