FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2001

CONTACT: LaVerne Kyriss, 720-962-7051, kyriss@wapa.gov

Lakewood, CO -- Western earned the "Wings of Honor" award Oct. 10 from the Flight for Life of Colorado Springs, Colo. for supporting the organization's communications needs. The organization, which operates out of the Penrose-St. Francis hospitals, gives the award annually to individuals who have performed an extraordinary life-saving act.

According to Flight for Life Program Director, Gordon Hildebrant, "This year Flight for Life wanted to recognize Western and others with a special corporate award for their contributions, because without them our radio network would not exist."

Western provided a no-cost lease to Flight for Life for two microwave channels, and also provided no-cost power to operate the associated equipment, which is located at Methodist Mountain, south of Salida, Colo. In addition to Western, Flight for Life recognized Colorado Springs Utilities, Xcel Energy and the U.S. Forest Service for their efforts in support of the communications system.

Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 central and western states.

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Serving the West with Federal hydropower