Ground Ambulance Service
The Norton Children’s Hospital “Just for Kids” Transport Team’s ground fleet is owned and operated by Norton Healthcare. The fleet is composed of four state-of-the-art ambulances equipped especially for infants and children. The ambulances feature:
- A colorful interior that is padded for safety while providing a nonthreatening environment for children
- Equipment to accommodate twins; one ambulance in the fleet can transport triplets
- Specially designed locked-down system for isolettes and stretchers; safety restraints are used on all patients
- Stereos and DVD players to provide distraction therapy for the patient while en route to the hospital
The team’s emergency medical technicians (EMTs) hold valid driver’s licenses and maintain active Kentucky EMT licenses. They also complete ongoing education, including the Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) annually and Coaching the Emergency Vehicle Operator (CEVO IV) course every two years. All drivers complete an emergency driving course prior to operating an ambulance.
Airplane
The “Just for Kids” Transport Team uses a Beechcraft King Air 200 fixed wing aircraft for transports farther than 100 miles from Louisville. This allows us to provide transport services to just about anywhere in the continental United States. Air Methods Inc., an FAA Part 135 certificate holder, operates this service. The fixed wing transport aircraft features:
- A custom-designed medical interior capable of transporting newborns and children; the aircraft can be configured to transport twins in two isolettes
- A DVD player to provide distraction therapy for patients while en route to the hospital
- Satellite telephone and tracking system for constant communication while in the air
Helicopter
The “Just for Kids” Transport Team uses a BK117 C1 helicopter. Norton Children’s Hospital has a rooftop helipad, allowing the patient to be moved quickly and directly into the hospital. Helicopter transports are performed within an approximately 170-mile radius of the Louisville area.
Keeping patients and crew members safe during helicopter transport is a top priority. Safety features of the “Just for Kids” Transport Team helicopter include:
- Ground proximity and traffic-warning systems
- Visual flight rules (VFR)
- Two moving-map global positioning systems (GPS) with weather overlays
The helicopter is operated by Air Methods Inc., an FAA Part 135 certificate holder.
Norton Children’s Difference
The “Just for Kids” Transport Team staff members are trained professionals dedicated to working with ill or injured children, from newborns to teens. They provide the specialized care children require during transport.
The “Just for Kids” Transport Team is made up of intensive care nurses, respiratory therapists and emergency medical technicians.
More than 60% of babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Norton Children’s Hospital arrive via the transport team. More premature babies are surviving at smaller birth weights, and other hospitals in the region may not be as equipped to care for the special needs of these tiny babies. Many older children rely on the transport team to bring them to Norton Children’s Hospital for specialized critical care.
