In the event of a critical emergency, air ambulance services are often the first line of response in addressing a patient's needs and offering transport to the nearest hospital for surgical care.

The primary air ambulance providers serving The Woodlands area are Memorial Hermann Life Flight and PHI Air Medical, said Alan Benson, chief of The Woodlands Township Fire Department.

They offer a full slate of critical emergency transports to nearby hospitals for patients in need of immediate care from highly skilled personnel equipped with advanced emergency equipment and medications.

Benson said the most critical hour after an accident is when someone suffers traumatic injuries. He said if the patient does not receive the necessary treatment within a specific period time, the chance of survival diminishes quickly.

Through Memorial Hermann, a patient is airlifted to one of the hospital's Level I Trauma Facilities—Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center or Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Greater Houston area, said Tom Flanagan, chief operating officer of Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center.

In addition, PHI Air Medical transports more than 30,000 patients each year through 65 air ambulance helicopter bases across the country, including a location in Conroe and Houston, according to the company's website.

Benson said the reason to use helicopter life flight services is for the patient to arrive at the emergency facility as soon as possible.

"It's for immediate life threatening conditions," Benson said. "There are an array of different reasons that necessitate the need for rapid transport, like blood loss, severed limb, spinal cord injuries and head injury."