Posted on 10/02/2008 11:04:23 AM PDT by PatrioticMarineMom
Edited on 10/02/2008 12:53:38 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
A Maryland State Police trooper from Westminster who was killed in a helicopter crash in Prince Georges County early Sunday morning is being remembered by those who knew him as a great father and a nice person who took his job seriously.
Mickey Lippy, 34, was the state police flight paramedic aboard a medevac helicopter that crashed while heading to Prince Georges County Hospital Center after picking up two traffic crash victims in Waldorf late Saturday evening, according to a press release from the Department of Maryland State Police.
Four people, including one of the patients being transported, were killed.
Lippy was appointed to the state police Westminster barrack four years ago and joined the Aviation Command in April 2007. He had recently returned from leave after the birth of his daughter, Madison, who is 4 months old.
He also had been a part-time paramedic and engineer at Gamber and fire company since April 2004 and a volunteer with the Owings Mills fire company, according to Gamber spokesman Bruce Bouch, a deputy state fire marshal. Lippys wife, Christina, also works for Gamber as an EMT driver, he said.
Bouch said the fire company is giving Lippys family time to grieve, but members will likely organize some type of memorial service in the coming weeks.
This has been a terrible blow to the community, Bouch said of the helicopter crash.
The Maryland State Police Westminster barrack intends to organize an event in memory of Lippy, but nothing has been planned yet, according to Lt. Andrew Winner at the barrack.
Winner described Lippy as a committed family man with a down-to-earth attitude and strong work ethic.
* *
He loved being a flight paramedic, Winner said. He just really felt that was his calling.
Becoming a paramedic had been a dream of Lippys since he joined the Owings Mills fire company in 1994, according to Kevin Wallett, the companys captain.
That was where Lippy received his training, and also where he met his wife three years later, Wallett said.
Andrew Swab, an EMT with Gamber who had known the couple well, said they always seemed very happy together.
Madison had become the focal point of their lives, Swab said, and Christina would often bring her to visit when Mickey was working.
Swab said he last saw the family in August and was shocked when he heard about the crash on Sunday.
Its been a whirlwind, he said.
Wallett said he last saw Lippy about two weeks ago, and he was cheerful as always.
He was a very well mannered, very well respected individual, Wallett said. You couldnt ask for a nicer guy.
State police pilot Stephen H. Bunker, 59, and Tanya Mallard, 39, an EMT with the Waldorf Rescue Squad, were two of the other victims discovered by the state police Forestville barrack at about 2 a.m. Sunday in Walker Mill Regional Park.
Ashley Younger, 17, of Waldorf, was also killed, and the surviving patient, Jordan Wells, 18, of Waldorf, is undergoing treatment at Prince Georges County Hospital Center, according to the press release.
The helicopter underwent a 100-hour inspection that was completed on Wednesday, according to state police.
The State Police Aviation Command has grounded all aircraft temporarily and in the meantime will rely on U.S. Park Police, Delaware and Pennsylvania state police and commercial medevac companies to provide helicopter services.
AND NOW FOR WESTBORO:
> Material from godhatesfags.com removed. Material from godhatesfags.com is not welcome on Free Republic.
>
Somehow I don’t think the Maryland State Troopers are going to be too lenient with the Westboro idiots!
Sick, sick people. Since the memorial service is a few weeks away, I suppose if I wanted to avoid this kind of disgusting abuse of a public event, I would put out the word that anyone who wanted to know about the memorial service should supply their email or phone number to a neutral third party, along with information showing why you wanted to attend the memorial service, i.e., what was your connection to the deceased? I would then only notify them of the event schedule and leave off public notices. Sad we have come to this but these animals have no shame. Another option would be a patriot rider formation from off-duty cops or something. (Just thinking aloud)
What are they protesting?
I'm missing something. I read the whole article and couldn't find a reference to Westboro or to what they are at again.
Civilization, as usual.
Westboro posted on their protest schedule that they would be in Waldorf to protest the funeral of the state trooper. I posted the article from the Carroll County Times so anyone not familiar with the accident would understand.
The PGR has already been notified. They are just waiting for the official invitation to form the line.
From the PGR thread:
I hope we get the green light soon this is making me so made. Protesters plan to picket the funeral of the paramedic killed in the Trooper 2 crash on Saturday, Oct. 4, at North Point High School, 2500 Davis Road in Waldorf, from 8 to 9:15 a.m.
Members of the group, God Hates Fags, reportedly protest at various activities in order to call attention to the fact that events like war, abortion, plane crashes and homosexuality indicate that God is angry with his people, including those living in Maryland.
In reference to the deaths of police and a paramedic in the Trooper 2 crash, the group’s Web site indicates members believe that “God Hates Maryland and just keeps dashing their inhabitants to pieces in various and interesting ways. Why? They prosecuted and persecuted his servants. You would protect your servants, wouldn’t you? Especially, if they were also considered your children and joint heirs.”
Information on the Web site also indicates the protest at the paramedic Tanya Mallard’s funeral is not personal. Protesters are simply angry that God is killing his people. This just not right.
Good. Thanks for being willing to help out on this. I hope you can go “impersonally” block the view of and blast peaceful soundwaves to shut these people’s hateful demonstration out.
These morons are disgusting. One day these freaks are gonna “protest” the wrong funeral.
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