CALSTAR was dispatched to the scene where 5-year-old Brayan was
killed by a truck, but the child was never transported by
helicopter
By Rachelle Gines Staff Writer
Gilroy – Thursday marked the one month anniversary of 5-year-old Brayan Trejo’s death, the same day the Trejo family learned they may be responsible for a $20,000 ride to the hospital that the little boy wasn’t stable enough to take.
“I don’t understand it, because he went in the ambulance, and didn’t even go in the helicopter,” 19-year-old Marisela Trejo, Brayan Trejo’s sister said. My father got the bill and became very worried.”
Brayan Trejo was riding his scooter alongside his 13-year-old brother Jesus Trejo in the crosswalk of an intersection near his home on the afternoon of June 27, when a Gilroy woman struck him with her truck, killing the boy. The case has been forwarded to the District Attorney’s office.
Though a CALSTAR helicopter arrived at the scene, medical officials determined the young child was not stable enough for the flight to Saint Louis Regional Hospital, so the boy was transported from Church and 10th streets by ambulance instead. Medical personnel from the CALSTAR helicopter joined the medical crew in the ambulance.
Mike Nichols, development and outreach manager in Sacramento’s CALSTAR’s offices said that although he does not know about the Trejo family’s specific situation, the nonprofit organization never intends to make things harder for families in difficult situations.
“We don’t wish to cause any additional hardship in these kinds of instances,” Nichols said. “While I do not know the specifics of the case, in the past, if a family can demonstrate legitimate financial need, things can be discussed.”
The important question for her father, Marisela Trejo said, was why should the family have to pay if Brayan didn’t even use the helicopter services.
“No one knows why we should have to pay,” Marisela Trejo said.
Emphasizing that he had no knowledge of the incident, Nichols said he could not comment, but said that he would welcome a discussion with the Trejo family about their situation.
A total of $3,650 was raised from a Sunday barbecue fundraiser for Brayan Trejo, and father Jesus Mendoza-Trejo Sr. said other donations prior to the barbecue totaled about $11,000. After discounts, he said that funeral and burial costs totaled $4,000.
An average cost for CALSTAR helicopter services range from $15,000 to $20,000. That covers the cost of fuel, a pilot and flight crew, as well as two certified flight nurses who trained in at least five different medical specialties, Nichols said.
“As you can imagine, these specialists are highly trained. That with the rising cost of fuel makes things very expensive,” he said.
Though distance between the site of an accident and a trauma center varies, Nichols said that total costs are not necessarily affected by how close or far a helicopter has to travel, and that the base cost of $15,000 to $20,000 still applies.
Nichols acknowledged that the cost was expensive, and said that in response, CALSTAR began a membership program in 2000 that waives all or most costs of a helicopter ride should a member ever need one. He said that there are currently more than over 9,500 members, and that individual annual memberships start at $40.
“This program was one way to reach out to the different communities that we serve, because we know the services are expensive and some people may not be financially equipped to handle that kind of financial burden,” Nichols said.
Any resident from Northern California to Santa Barbara County is eligible, even if they don’t have insurance, Nichols said. A member would only have to pay their insurance deductible, if their policy covers emergency transportation. If someone doesn’t have insurance, but is a member of CALSTAR’s Program, they might not have to pay anything, Nichols said.
Mendoza-Trejo Sr. said the family is insured by Kaiser-Permanente. Karl Sonkin, regional-media relations specialist for Kaiser said that although he is not familiar with the Trejo case, provisions are made for emergency transpiration depending on the insurance policy.
“We have a benefit for emergency services such as ambulances, and helicopters if medically necessary,” Sonkin said.
CALSTAR does not dispatch helicopters, and Nichols said that they are usually contacted by 911 or emergency services to come to a scene, depending on specific county protocols.
Nichols also acknowledged that given the high cost of helicopter transportation, some people might wish to refuse service.
“Usually, the only time CALSTAR is dispatched are in cases of emergency, and our only goal is to save that persons life,” Nichols said. “I think people would rather want to get to a trauma center faster, if it really came down to that.”
Rachelle Gines is an intern attending San Francisco State University. Reach her at 847-7158 or rg****@************ch.com.
