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STATCARE developed when Jewish Hospital, the Norton School of Medicine, University of Louisville and Kosair Hospital came together to form Louisville Medical Center's STATCARE. Two helicopters, along with some fixed wing aircrafts, make up the STATCARE emergency air medical service. One helicopter is located at Bowman Field in Louisville, the other is based out of Glasgow. The Glasgow based STATCARE service is designed to serve a 12-county area. The helicopter located in Glasgow is an IFR craft, which flies by instrument which allows it to fly in worse weather conditions than its counterpart in Louisville, a VFR aircraft, which flies visually. Before the decision to locate in Glasgow was made Blumenstock said for 10 years Glasgow-Barren County EMS Director Mike Swift had been telling him that Glasgow would be a great place for a helicopter. "He was right, Glasgow is an excellent location." Blumenstock said with the help of the Community Hospital, Swift and the local EMS, and the community as a whole, that things have gone almost too smoothly. Since beginning operation in Glasgow on November 19th, 1999, STATCARE has made 155 flights. "That means that 155 individuals have received medical care quicker. When minutes matter, put the product where the customers are." Blumenstock said that when approval was first given to operate the air ambulance in Glasgow, he had determined that if 17 new patients could be served over the number of responses that had normally been made in the 12-county area the operation would be successful. In just the first four months of operation in 2000, there were 20 additional flights made over the normal response rate. "All of that pales when we are talking about life and death situations," he told Rotarians. Blumenstock told club members about a medical emergency that had occurred less than 24-hours before the meeting. A seven-year-old was hit by a vehicle in a neighboring county. STATCARE received a call at 7:29 p.m. to fly to the scene of the accident. The helicopter lifted off at 7:31 p.m., landed at the scene at 7:40 and by 7:49 had the child aboard the aircraft. The young child arrived in Louisville at 8:13 p.m. "That child was in Kosair Children's Hospital 44 minutes after the initial request was made for help. Today that child is improving. If STATCARE had not been available I am afraid the results might have been different." STATCARE is currently in the process of relocating its base from the Community Hospital to the Glasgow Airport. The change in location will give the service more flexibility he said. "We would prefer to be located at the hospital, but because of the weight of the aircraft, which includes a pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, along with weight of the patient and the weight of fuel, the aircraft at times must take off at an angle, instead of straight up, which it must do at the hospital's helipad. It will give us a lot more flexibility." Awaiting written documentation from the Kentucky Airport Board. Blumenstock also told Rotarians that Glasgow and Barren County were very fortunate to have a person of the caliber of Mike Swift heading up their Emergency Medical Services. "Mike is very valuable to this community, this region and the state." He said that Swift, along with State Representative Steve Nunn, played important roles in recent legislation governing EMS that was passed by the General Assembly which he said would "impact every citizen in Kentucky." Blumenstock also said that he was currently working with Community Hospital to have it designated as a level three trauma center. There are three levels of trauma centers within the state. He said that designation would also be very important to the area and its citizens.