Sheriff Rick Ramsay announces new Trauma Star helicopter acquisition

Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay formally signed paperwork Wednesday at the Sheriff’s Office Aviation Hangar at the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport to acquire three new Leonardo AW139 helicopters which will replace the Trauma Star program’s Sikorski S76 fleet over the next two years.

The three new AW139 medium twin-engine helicopters meet Trauma Star’s critical life-saving mission profile: They are able to fly the distance, carry the payloads, and utilize the current landing zones in the Florida Keys.

“These new aircraft can fly two patients, medical equipment, medical staff, and pilots comfortably from the Dry Tortugas to Miami without the need to refuel and do it quickly at 190 mph — a vital point when lives are on the line,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “This program is crucial to the safety of our residents and visitors alike and the AW139 helicopters are the right aircraft for the job.”  

The difficulty in finding parts for the three Sikorski S76 helicopters was one of the factors in the decision to acquire newer manufacturer-supported AW139 aircraft. The AW139 will increase operating cost efficiency and reduce downtime due to unscheduled maintenance.

Trauma Star crews annually fly approximately 1,400 missions over greater distances than most other air ambulance programs. For perspective, the national average for similar programs is 264 patients a year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and the Association of Air Medical Services. The Trauma Star average is more than five times that amount.

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners approved the approximately $52 million acquisition of the new AW139 helicopters in March 2023 as part of the county’s infrastructure fund, which is generated from a one-cent sales tax.

The AW139 is an aircraft of choice for EMS and search and rescue missions across the globe as well as locally — Miami-Dade’s air ambulance program utilizes the AW139 as well as other public emergency responders in Florida and across the country.

There are three Trauma Star helicopters. They operate out of two bases: One at the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport and a second at Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island.

The life-saving service is provided free to residents and property owners of Monroe County.

The Trauma Star program is a partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and Monroe County Fire Rescue. The Sheriff’s Office staffs the pilots and mechanics while the flight nurses and flight paramedics are staffed by Fire Rescue.

The Trauma Star air ambulance helicopter program has been conducting life-saving missions since its inception in 2002.