Book excerpt: Air ambulance transport is widely regarded as improving the chances of survival for trauma victims and other critical patients. However, recent increases in the number of air ambulance accidents have led to greater industry scrutiny by gov¿t. agencies, the public, the media, and the industry itself. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and others have called on the FAA, which provides safety oversight, to issue more stringent safety requirements for the industry. This testimony discusses: (1) recent trends in the air ambulance industry with regard to its size, composition, and safety record; (2) recent industry and gov¿t. efforts to improve air ambulance safety; and (3) potential strategies for improving air ambulance safety. Charts and tables.