Ted Parod

Ted Wayne Parod, loving husband, father, grandfather, and founder of the A.L.E.R.T air ambulance and rescue program in Kalispell, Montana passed away September 27th, 2014 at the age of 73. Ted was born April 11, 1941 in Oak Park, Illinois and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona where he attended Sunnyslope High School. After Graduation he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in Steinborn, Germany as a nuclear missile technician. After leaving the service he attended Enterprise Junior College and then Troy State University in Alabama where he graduated Suma Cum Laude with a degree in History. He also attended law school at Arizona State University. During his life, Ted flew thousands of hours in fixed wing airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons and experimental aircraft. His career included offshore and bush flying in Alaska, search and rescue operations, aerial film work, law enforcement support, and fighting forest fires. He was both a civilian and military flight instructor, a check pilot and safety officer for the FAA, and a certified EMT. Ted was the recipient of the Montana Outstanding Pilot of the Year Award and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Federal Aviation Administration, its second highest award. The unnecessary death of a logger in northwest Montana inspired Ted to work to establish aerial medical transport from remote areas inaccessible to ground ambulances. An entrepreneur, Ted founded Mountain West Helicopters in Kalispell and supported the company with a variety of other aviation work while making presentations to local civic organizations and encouraging support for a hospital based air ambulance program. Initially, Ted was on call for air ambulance runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After innumerable presentations and pleas to the community, the A.L.E.R.T. Foundation was formed. Arrangements were made for flight nurses from the hospital and EMTs to support the air ambulance calls. The A.L.E.R.T program is the nation's second oldest air ambulance program and was the first to be based in a rural community hospital. From A.L.E.R.T.'s inception until the foundation purchased its own helicopter, Mountain West provided the aircraft and pilots for the program. After retiring from flying, Ted wrote several books and became a founding member of the Arizona Book Publishing Association. He eventually settled into ranching in the Columbus, Montana area where he has resided for the last 10 years. He served on the board of directors for the Columbus Rural Fire District and the Farmers Union Trading Company in Columbus. He is survived by his wife Debbie of 33 years and their children, Jennifer Parod and husband Steven Howell, Katie Hansen and husband Erik Hansen, Daniel Parod, Christopher Parod, and Bobbi Parod, and grandchildren Reagan and Jackson Hansen. He was preceded in death by parents, Carl Parod and Loretta Harbour, his brother Don and his first wife Sandra Parod. At Ted's request, no funeral will be held. A reception for family, friends and associates will be held in the Columbus Fire Department community room from 2 pm to 4 pm Saturday, October 4th. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to support the Columbus Volunteer Fire Department. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.dahlfuneralchapel.com