Donald Field, age 14, of Santa Rosa, Calif., for his question:

WHAT IS A TRAUMA CENTER?

A trauma center is a specialized area of a hospital that treats only persons suffering from trauma, or serious accidental injury. Some hospitals ate devoted entirely to trauma care.

In the United States and Canada, trauma kills tens of thousands of people annually. Doctors say that from 20 to 50 percent of all those who die do so because they do not promptly receive suitable medical care.

Trauma centers have specialized equipment and permanent staffs of Ane•tnra_ nnraps and naramedies who are skilled techniques. Staff members provide first aid at the accident site and rapid transportation by ambulance or helicopter to the center itself.

Trauma centers developed from military hospitals that provided fast service during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

One of the most extensive trauma care systems was established by Illinois in 1971.

This statewide system has four kinds of trauma centers: local, area wide, regional and specialized.