Katie Pyrdek, BSN, RN, PHRN, CFRN
Senior Professional Flight Nurse
Years of Service: 7
Fun facts:
- When in high school, Katie did not know EMS as a career existed. She was randomly placed in a first responder class in high school – and tried to promptly switch out! No luck. She was stuck in the class, and eventually progressed to an EMT class, later joining a local fire department. As a volunteer firefighter at 17 y/o, Â Katie soon realized that she wanted to be a flight nurse after experiencing a dual ship scene run! After becoming a nurse and working in a trauma ICU, she confirmed her long-term goal of becoming a flight nurse.
- Katie spends most of her free time in the woods with her 2 German Shorthair Pointers Dexter and Duncan; each at different ends of the intelligence spectrum. They go hiking, biking, and long-distance backpacking  in the tri-state region and out West. Katie has also done some mountaineering on glaciers, but she is not sure she will repeat that experience!Â
- Â Katie recently became certified with K9 Duncan (at 23 months old) as a Search and Rescue Trailing team through the International Police Work Dog Association and the local search and rescue team, completing urban and wooded trails up to 27 hours.