PEMBROKE, N.Y. — When disaster strikes, every second counts.

Mercy Flight President Margaret Ferrentino told 2 On Your Side that Friday afternoon's Thruway bus crash, which killed five people, triggered one of their largest responses ever.

Five helicopters airlifted patients while 17 EMS units transported others on the ground.

Ferrentino praised crews, dispatchers, and off-duty staff who rushed in, calling the response seamless thanks to years of training.

"All I could do up there is, in addition to provider supporters, just pray for the victims and the safety of the first responders, and from where it appears right now, everybody's safe, everybody's been taken care of. This is what I spent my career hoping to achieve," she said.

Ferrentino also says the teamwork among helicopters,

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