The Brief
- Heroic Polk County K9 Ace returned home to retire after emergency air transport helped save his life following a shooting.
- Flight medical specialists flew the injured canine to a specialty veterinary hospital in 25 minutes, cutting standard driving time in half.
- The historic air medical transport team uses high-tech canine simulators to train emergency crews for critical line-of-duty injuries statewide.
TAMPA, Fla. – K9 Ace is retiring at home after emergency air responders flew him to Manatee County veterinary hospital after he was shot by a suspect during a shootout in Polk County.
Polk County K9 emergency transport
What we know:
K9 Ace is resting at home in retirement after surviving a gunshot wound received while serving a search warrant Friday in Polk County. The brave canine saved three deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, including his handler, before undergoing surgery to amputate his left front leg.
His actions earned him multiple medals of honor and valor. Aeromed 4 flew the wounded dog from Polk County to the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County in just 25 minutes, cutting more than an hour off ground travel time.
Metro Aviation line pilot Chad Loftin flew the mission for Tampa General Hospital.
“It was much like any other call. We were all aware it was Ace. It was unique in terms of the patient we were going to pick up and where we were taking him, but in all other ways, it was the same,” Loftin said.
Florida air medical training history
The backstory:…