By Brian Haaz
The Sun Sentinel
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kevin Hagenstad lay bleeding, bruised and dying on a Lake Worth street. He’d been hit by a car, run over twice and dragged several feet. “I thought, ‘These are the last few seconds of my life,’” said Hagenstad, of Boca Raton.
Despite 20 broken bones and multiple lung punctures, Hagenstad said his despair turned to hope as one of Palm Beach County’s two Sikorsky S76-C+ helicopters touched down to rush him to St. Mary’s Medical Center.
About twice a day in Palm Beach County, patients such as Hagenstad are whisked away in a race against time. While nationally there has been criticism of the overuse and the crippling costs of such helicopter transports, Palm Beach County’s Trauma Hawk air ambulance program is flying less than in years past and spending fewer taxpayer dollars in the process.
Full Story: Trauma Hawk flying fewer patients these days