Mission-Inspired Growth

Many individuals and institutions, circumstances and events have shaped our growth and pathway to the present. All have supported our successful progress, and for this, we are very grateful.

We warmly acknowledge our organization’s transformative journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the West Coast’s most respected emergency air ambulance programs. For decades, we have focused on provided life-saving air medical transports in an effort to speed rehabilitation and improve outcomes for victims of critical illness or injury.  Operating from bases across California, CALSTAR plays a vital role in supporting the state’s emergency medical services infrastructure, adapting when needed in an ever-changing industry, while at the same time advancing medical and education initiatives in health care to benefit both professionals and patients alike.

• 1983
  • CALSTAR is established as the first consortium air rescue program in the United States
• 1984
  • 

    • Operations begin in the Bay Area with a single aircraft
• 1987
  • • Joseph F. Cook becomes President and Chief Executive Officer
• 1992
  • 

    • CALSTAR-1 opens in Concord, CA
    • CALSTAR-2 opens in Gilroy, CA
• 1995
  • 

    • CALSTAR-3 opens in Auburn, CA
• 1998
  • • CALSTAR-4 opens in Ukiah, CA
• 1999
  • 

    • CALSTAR acquires fixed wing aircraft for long distance inter-facility transports
• 2001
  • 

    • CALSTAR-6 opens in S. Lake Tahoe, CA
    • CALSTAR receives CAMTS certification
• 2002
  • 

    • CALSTAR-5 opens in Salinas, CA
    • CALSTAR-7 opens in Santa Maria, CA
• 2005
  • 

    • Headquarters moves from Hayward to Sacramento, CA
• 2006
  • 

    • CALSTAR-8 opens in Vacaville, CA
• 2007
  • 

    • CALSTAR-70 opens at McClellan Park in Sacramento, CA
• 2008
  • 

    • CALSTAR Communications Center (CALCOM) established
    • CALSTAR-9 opens in Hollister, CA
• 2009
  • 

    • CALSTAR celebrates 25th Anniversary
    • CALSTAR-10 opens in Jackson, CA
    • CALSTAR-11 opens in Sacramento, CA
• 2010
  • • Joseph F. Cook retires and Lynn D. Malmstrom becomes President/CEO
• 2012
  • 

    • Fleet transformation begins with 8 new EC135 P2 aircraft
    • King Air B200 acquired
    • CALSTAR-9, CALSTAR-10, and CALSTAR-11 relocate
• 2013
  • • CALSTAR’s 30th Anniversary
    • CALSTAR Education Services established
• 2014
  • 

    • CALSTAR becomes the Air Medical Transport Provider for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
    • CALSTAR-8 relocates and CALSTAR-80 opens in Oakland, CA
    • Dynamic Human Patient Simulator (HPS) Program established
    • CALSTAR awarded “Excellence in Research” by the Association of Air Medical Services
• 2015
  • 

    • Fleet transformation continues with three new H135 P3 aircraft
    • CALSTAR becomes the Air Medical Transport Provider for Sutter Health
• 2016
  • 

    • CALSTAR becomes part of REACH Medical Holdings LLC
    • CALSTAR-12 opens in Modesto, CA
    • CALSTAR-13 opens in Merced, CA
    • CALSTAR awarded “Program of the Year” by the Association of Air Medical Services