A new neonatal and pediatric ambulance equipped with state-of-the-art patient care and safety features has arrived at Sacred Heart Hospital to replace a nearly 20-year-old transport vehicle. The new ambulance transports newborns and children from other healthcare facilities to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Pensacola.
“The ambulance mainly will be used to pick up sick babies at other community hospitals in Northwest Florida and bring them to Sacred Heart to be cared for in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” said Melba Darden, administrative director of Children’s Services at Sacred Heart. “In addition, it will be used to transport sick or injured children from other healthcare facilities to our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Sacred Heart. The addition of this new ambulance truly is a blessing for our community’s children.”
The new, custom-built vehicle cost $212,000, and cost to equip the vehicle was $125,000, including a $100,000 transport isolette.
A grant was awarded from the state Emergency Medical Services agency, and other community support came from Food World, the Senior Bowl and the Kugelman Foundation. The vehicle, which can accommodate two full stretchers end to end, is spacious enough to transport twins and a double care team in one trip. A crew of nine can be seated comfortably inside the ambulance.
Features include a 2007 International Navistar lowrider extended-cab chassis, which was chosen to provide a smooth ride, “a clinically significant issue with our small babies,” said Darden. Other features include:
- Medication refrigerator
- X-ray view box
- Blanket warmer
- Electric liquid-crystal windows that turn opaque for privacy
- DVD player to keep children entertained
- Oxygen and air hook-up in ceiling for crew safety
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital has been providing pediatric care to sick and injured babies and children for the past 37 years.
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