The real “deal” may already be signed, but on Oct. 18, around two dozen elected officials, law enforcement officers and emergency responders gathered to commemorate the ceremonial beginning of a new era in the Keys’ renowned Trauma Star air ambulance program.
With parts and support increasingly hard to come by for the program’s current three-bird fleet of discontinued Sikorsky S76 helicopters, Sheriff Rick Ramsay announced the program’s next evolution after 21 years of rescue flights: three brand new Leonardo AW139 twin-engine helicopters, set for delivery over the next two years.
Presented to the Monroe County BOCC in February of this year and approved a month later, the $52 million purchase will fund what Ramsay touted in February as “the lone available model” fitting Trauma Star’s unique requirements for range, speed and lift capabilities, all while maintaining continued manufacturer support for a common airframe.
The goal is, if needed, to take off from one of Trauma Star’s two Keys bases, fly as far as the Dry Tortugas for a patient pickup, and fly to Miami with up to two patients, medical personnel and equipment – all at a speed of 190 mph – without the need to refuel.
The hefty price tag will be funded from Monroe County’s infrastructure fund generated from a one-cent sales tax.
The AW139 aircraft is already in use by the Miami-Dade air ambulance program, the Maryland State Police and the New Jersey State Police, among others. Its parent company is closing in on 200 airframes in service throughout Florida, Leonardo spokesman Phil Coghlan said.
“We looked at different helicopters, what was best for the future of this program with great input from our friends in the county fire rescue, aviation, our mechanics, our pilots,” Ramsay told the gathered crowd. “We do things that other programs just don’t do. … This helicopter will keep this program up for the next 25 years.”
“I would not be here today if it weren’t for that Trauma Star helicopter that flew me out when my life was on the line after a horrific car wreck,” said County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln. “It’s allowing me right now to celebrate another birthday. The day I saw (the Sheriff) after I was out of the hospital, I said I will always support (him) and the program. I’m honored that I’m now in a position that I get to put my money where my mouth is.”
“It’s been a long road. (Trauma Star) has won acceptance in the county, and it is now seen as totally essential,” said Commissioner David Rice. “We would be just as likely to get rid of this program today as we would our fire trucks.”
Trauma Star operates as one of the most robust air ambulance programs in the nation, with roughly 1,400 flights in the last year alone. (According to the FAA and the Association of Air Medical Services, the national average for similar programs is 264 patients per year, per an MCSO press release.)
Coghlan said delivery of the first AW139 helicopter is slated for next fall, with a gradual phase-out of the existing 22-year-old helicopters as new machines are delivered. Although Leonardo is an Italian manufacturer, support for Trauma Star’s helicopters will come directly from support facilities in Philadelphia and Pensacola.
The Trauma Star program is a partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and Monroe County Fire Rescue, operating out of the Marathon International Airport and Lower Keys Medical Center. The Sheriff’s Office staffs the pilots and mechanics, while the flight nurses and flight paramedics are staffed by Fire Rescue. The life-saving service is provided free to residents and property owners of Monroe County.
