The helipad just outside of the emergency room is reserved for SkyHealth 1.

The helicopter serves six trauma centers operated by Northwell Health including Staten Island University Hospital, the only hospital in the borough with air-transport.

During advanced training courses for paramedics, hospital officials said it’s an important resource partnership for a borough surrounded by water.

“Having an alternative besides the bridge- which could be trouble with traffic [or] could be trouble with and accident- having ability to get a patient both in and out of our facility rapidly is a testament to the many staff here who made this possible," said Dr. Paul Barbara of the Division of Emergency Medical Services at Staten Island Hospital Emergency Room.

Jeffrey Spencer of SkyHealth started as an EMT on the ground more than 30 years ago. He moved his tact to the air two years ago.

"I’m a certified flight paramedic- they consider that the absolute hardest EMS paramedic test there is,” Spencer explained.  

He showed us the inner workings of the chopper which fits the pilot, flight nurse, flight paramedic, and patient all in a very small space. There is only about an inch of clearance for the patient where medics load the stretcher in the back of the chopper.

Despite the tight squeeze, Spencer says it’s equipped with everything you'd find in the emergency room or intensive care unit.  

"Everything's within hand-reach. All of the flight equipment is specialized for air transport. So it's smaller, more compact, and more efficient,” he said.

The chopper is used to transport critically injured patients to and from the hospital when they need advanced or specialty care. Oftentimes, Staten Island Hospital will take in burn patients because they are the only burn trauma center in the hospital system.

Spencer says time is of the essence. On the ground, an ambulance could take up to 90 minutes to get from Staten Island to Long Island. By air, it could take as little as 25 minutes.

On average, SkyHealth1 can reach speeds of 130 miles per hour.

"It covers a great distance and we don’t stop for traffic lights,” Spencer said proud.  

He says it flys right over obstacles when critically injured patients need to get to a hospital as quickly as possible.