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.

Fixed wing service

The “Just for Kids” Transport Team uses a Beechcraft King Air 200 fixed wing aircraft for transports greater than 100 miles from Louisville. This allows us to provide transport services to just about anywhere in the continental United States. All fixed wing missions are flown by skilled pilots. 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

Rotor wing service

The “Just for Kids” Transport Team uses a BK117 C1 helicopter. Norton Children’s Hospital has a rooftop helipad, allowing the patient to be quickly moved directly into the hospital. Rotor wing 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 rotor wing aircraft is operated by Air Methods Inc., an FAA Part 135 certificate holder.