Classic Air Medical announced, “After 27 years and 2,475 medical flights, Danny Cox will be retiring.”

Born and raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, Cox began his career as a firefighter. “I was a firefighter in Flagstaff for 20 years,” said Cox. “There was a couple of firemen that were flying [for Classic] at the time, and, you know, helicopters attract guys like firemen. Talking with them, I go, ‘That looks like something that’d be fun.’ I'd become a paramedic by then, and I got the job. I did it part time for seven years while I did both jobs.”

Cox commuted to Page for 28 years, 14 years from Flagstaff and another 14 years from Gilbert, Arizona. Cox said he drove to Page twice a month to work four day shifts. “In the past, they've been three day shifts. And we could stack two of them and make six. I've put a lot of miles on Highway 89.”

Cox said he’s ready for retirement. “I've done it a long time. I've worked shift work, 24-hour shifts at a minimum, you know, up to six out six day shifts for the last 41 years. So I'm looking forward to only having one bed to sleep in.”

Classic Air provides training for their staff. “It's evolved into kind of an academy atmosphere now,” said Cox. “So classic trained as far as the flight part of it. You already had to be a paramedic for a minimum of three years and in a fairly high volume system.” Cox was in charge of new hire training for around five years until the company expanded and Salt Lake City handled the training.

Speaking on his retirement plans with his wife, Sandy, Cox said, “My initial plans are let the dust settle and see how it all falls out. But no, we want to do some traveling and we have good friends around the country who we're gonna go visit and we've made plans with already for this summer. But, you know, I'm not looking for a schedule.

“I've thought about maybe finding a volunteer thing to do, maybe volunteer-type positions, perhaps the Red Cross, disaster teams, things like that. And it's kind of what I'm looking at, you know, or the Walmart greeter looks good, too.”