KENDALL, Fla. – Miami-Dade Fire's Air Rescue 4 tested out Kendall Regional Medical Center's new helipad Monday.
The hospital is flying high thanks to a new trauma center that is about to become operational. It will become only the second adult trauma center in the county, giving paramedics another option when a patient's life is on the line.
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"We are elevating the service specifically in the western portions of the county," said John Gardner of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Dr. Mark McKenney said Monroe County will also reap the benefits. In fact, every time a trauma center opens up, the mortality rate in the area drops.
"After about five years, there will be about an extra 150 people in the area because they will have survived a trauma," said McKenney.
This new trauma center is not only good for the people's health, it's good for the county's health. More than 50 people were hired to staff the new center 24/7.
"Our team has been working for over two years now. There is a lot involved in terms of specialized equipment for trauma situations," said Kendall Regional CEO Scott Cihak.
All the additional personnel and the equipment is already in place. Now, they just need approval from the Department of Health, and they hope to get that by this November.
Officials believe it will also take pressure off of Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center.
If a catastrophic trauma event like the Reno air show crash were to happen in Miami-Dade, first responders would have two trauma centers to share the burden.