CALSTAR 6 recognised with the "Thermal Angel Lifesaver of the Year Award"

Estill Medical Technologies, Inc., a family-owned Texas company that produces the Thermal Angel Blood and IV Fluid Infusion Warmer, a patented medical device being utilized by U.S. hospitals, military and emergency responders to lessen the effects of fluid-induced hypothermia, named the CALSTAR 6 Unit of South Lake Tahoe as the first-ever recipient of their "Thermal Angel Lifesaver of the Year Award."

CALSTAR is a California-based nonprofit emergency helicopter service headquartered in Sacramento with fully-operational units in Auburn, Concord, Gilroy, Jackson, McClellan, Salinas, Santa Maria, South Lake Tahoe, Ukiah and Vacaville. CALSTAR has provided emergency air transport to California hospitals for critical patients with an impeccable record of safety. Since its inception, CALSTAR has completed over 40,000 patient transports without incident, with a number of them being children.

Company president Jay Lopez of Thermal Angel, along with his brother, Brandon Lopez, vice president of operations and business development, and their father, Leonard Lopez, the company's chairman, recognized the unit with this distinguished award to honor CALSTAR for the lifesaving measures it has undertaken since 1984.

"We're pleased to recognize entire unit of CALSTAR 6 for its commendable work. The unit exemplifies the best that the emergency response field has to offer," said Jay Lopez, who sent a letter and engraved glass globe to the department in honor of their service.

Brandon Lopez concurred: "My father, brother and I have a deep respect for emergency response professionals. We're proud and honored that the Thermal Angel has been able to alleviate some of the risks these heroes see in their patients immediately following a critical emergency."

In response to this recognition by the Thermal Angel team, CALSTAR Chief Flight Nurse Bryan Pond, RN CFRN CCRN, said: "It's an honor for our unit to be recognized by such a great company whose product we've used so much and makes such a profound difference in our ability to treat patients."

Jay and Brandon Lopez were recently the recipients of a distinguished award in the Dallas, TX community for their entrepreneurial success in creating a high value product. On November 6, their firm was put on the "Dallas 100" list - an honor recognizing them as one of the region's fastest-growing privately-held companies.

"After the recent recognition we received at the 'Dallas 100(TM)' ceremony, it's a treat for us to be able to shine the spotlight on the CALSTAR 6 unit and honor its heroic work," said Jay Lopez.

The Thermal Angel has itself been praised for its lifesaving efforts both in emergency response in domestic crises as well as on the battlefield. "The Thermal Angel is an extraordinary weapon in the arsenal of emergency responders, military service men and women and others who are on the front lines of dealing with health crises, both in the U.S. and overseas," said Brandon Lopez.

Jay Lopez concurred: "With the effects of future strands of the H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu among vulnerable populations yet unknown, the Thermal Angel is of tremendous value to hospital and EMS responders helping flu victims with hypothermia and dehydration. The Thermal Angel continues to be a proven medical technology for the U.S. military community."

Over the last five years, the battery-powered Thermal Angel has been extensively used as the portable blood and IV fluid warmer for Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and will continue to serve troops as the U.S. Armed Forces augments its presence in Afghanistan, Jay Lopez said.