MARATHON – Monroe County’s Trauma Star helicopter flew 471 patients from locations throughout the Keys to hospitals in Miami during fiscal year 2016, which ended Sept. 30. This a record number for a fiscal year, and is 86 more patients than the previous high of 385, set in fiscal year 2015.

During July, August and September, the life-saving air ambulance flew 35 trauma victims.

Trauma Star, which is a joint effort of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Monroe County Fire Rescue, is on track to transport 500 patients for the 2016 calendar year, Trauma Star Captain Andrea Thompson said.

The service is used by people up and down the 120-mile long island chain. For fiscal year 2016, Trauma Star picked up 221 patients in the Lower Keys, 173 in the Middle Keys and 77 in the Upper Keys. During fiscal year 2015, the numbers were 163 in the Lower Keys, 151 in the Middle Keys, 65 in the Upper Keys and 6 in the Dry Tortugas.

The new Trauma Star helicopter, which the County purchased this year, has been cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly training flights. It is expected the helicopter will be authorized to fly patients in the next couple of weeks, as soon as the FAA completes the paperwork.