There are no out-of-pocket costs for county residents who use the life-saving service.

Each new helicopter can transport up to two critically injured or ill patients at a time. Trauma Star is staffed with highly-trained flight nurses, flight Firefighter/Paramedics, and helicopter pilots.

Trauma Star provides nearly 1,400 flights annually, three to four flights per day, one of the top five busiest air ambulance programs in the United States.

The total cost for the three helicopters is $53,149,100, which will be spread out over several years. The funding comes from sales tax: the infrastructure penny tax approved by a referendum.