By Lee La Follette
Webmaster and Interpreter
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The Phoenix chapter of the Flying Samaritans is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit, healthcare-focused organization serving remote communities in Baja California. The organization operates two different clinics on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The larger, general medical clinic is in the village of Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos about 190 miles northwest of Cabo San Lucas. A bit further north, our other clinic provides primarily dental services at the very small coastal community of Laguna San Ignacio.
History
The Flying Samaritans organization was founded in 1961 by two U.S. aviators who landed in the Mexican village of El Rosario while trying to escape a storm. The villagers treated the pilots very kindly, who asked how they could reciprocate that kindness. The families were in great need of clothing, especially for the children. Just one month later, the American aviators returned with clothing and gifts for these families. One of the pilots was a medical doctor, and it was quickly understood that the community was also in desperate need of medical attention.
From those humble beginnings, a much larger organization has emerged, operating as a group of loosely connected chapters in Arizona and California. These chapters staff as many as 15 clinics throughout Baja California, which have benefited from the participation of over 1000 volunteers through the years.
Current Operations
The Phoenix chapter of the Flying Samaritan currently flies down to Baja once a month for nine months each year, staffing the clinics for a long weekend each trip. We are pilots, doctors, dentists and hygienists, chiropractors, interpreters, nurses, EMTs, pharmacists, opticians, and more.
We begin the flights typically on a Friday morning from various airports around the metropolitan Phoenix area, and sometimes Flagstaff, Prescott, and Payson. Medical staff providers are assigned to an airport based on their proximity to one of our pilots and their home airport. Our first stop is Guaymas, Mexico, to clear Customs. The flight continues over the Sea of Cortez to land in the small town of Mulegé, our base for activity at the clinics. The runway right behind the hotel where we stay, which is large enough to accommodate our whole group.
We usually have up to eight planes, most of which are four seaters, but some of our volunteer pilots have larger airplanes, including twins that seat six people.
Typically we work all day Saturday at the clinic, and depart Sunday morning to fly home, arriving in Phoenix by Sunday afternoon.
A Busy Day at the Clinic
When the airplanes and personnel arrive, there is already a line of patients seeking medical treatment. So, each Saturday clinic starts early, as the providers enter the clinic and prepare while the triage team works with every patient, collecting vital personal and medical information necessary for treatment. The providers do not have to speak Spanish because there are volunteer interpreters on hand. Many of the patients are children and fortunately, we usually have a pediatrician on the team. The demand is very high demand for dental services, and the pace is nonstop for all the providers.
During clinic time, the pilots are free to do as they please, but quite often they help solve technical problems like repairing pumps or providing general assistance to the staff.
At noon, we take a quick break for lunch, prepared for us by the people of the community. Then the team returns to the clinic, continuing to treat patients throughout the afternoon. Once we seen everyone possible, we close the clinic, get in the airplanes and fly back to the hotel in Mulegé. On Saturday nights, we usually enjoy a delicious seafood dinner at one of the fine restaurants in town.
I think most of our members find these trips to be deeply fulfilling and satisfying. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and are united by the common desire to help those who have great needs and little means.
Evolving Needs: Pilots and Planes
The needs of our organization are constantly evolving. We are currently recruiting in every capacity, but we especially need more volunteer pilots and their airplanes. If the work we are doing appeals to you, please visit our website at www.flyingsamaritans.com for more information, and to join the organization.
If you have questions about becoming a pilot for the organization, write to our pilot coordinator, Larry Karpurk at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you have general questions about the missions or the organization, please feel free to contact me as well.
I hope you will join us in helping with this important work, and I look forward to seeing you on one of our missions soon.