Kids & Family
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Acquires New Pediatric Transport Helicopter
The EC-145 has several safety features.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital has upgraded to a cutting edge helicopter to be used for air transport.
The helicopter, a EC-145, is equipped with numerous safety features, twin engines, an autopilot system, satellite tracking, night vision goggles, and enhanced communication capabilities.
Theresa Doran, R.N., pediatric intensive care unit transport coordinator at LLUCH, along with Victor Bannis, RCP, respiratory coordinator, and Rene Santiago, R.N., neonatal intensive care unit transport coordinator, worked closely with Mercy Air to get the new airship to Loma Linda.
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”We chose the EC-145 because we felt it was the aircraft that could take us into the future,” Doran said. “The airship’s reliability and enhanced safety features will allow our pilots to maneuver through mountainous regions and rapid weather changes, while its large interior offers optimal functionality enabling our crew to provide in-flight critical care to our patients, regardless of their size.”
The new helicopter is owned and operated by Mercy Air Services, Inc., but it is dedicated to LLUCH.
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The helicopter will be used to transport pediatric patients to LLUCH from other hospitals as far away as the Mexican border to Fresno. The chopper’s first transport flight was on June 3, when a child with severe asthma was transported from Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree.
“Our main priority is to make sure our patients get the proper care as quickly as possible,” said Sonea Qureshi, M.D., attending physician at LLUCH. “With this new helicopter, we are able to focus on the needs of our kids and also try to make them feel comforted and safe during transport.”