By Sarah McNeil
The Smithfield Herald (North Carolina)
Copyright 2006 The Smithfield Herald (North Carolina)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
SMITHFIELD, N.C. — A unique ambulance is taking flight here.
Airborne Critical Care will start flying out of the Johnston County Airport on Monday. Airborne is just the second fixed-wing air ambulance approved by the N.C. Office of Emergency Medical Services. The other is in Charlotte.
David Garrard and J. Michael Morrow are the founders of Airborne. Garrard, a respiratory practitioner, has a background in adult and pediatric critical care. Morrow has served as a flight paramedic with Aeromed International in Alaska. Also, he has been the chief flight paramedic for University AirEvac in Cleveland, Ohio, where he currently lives.
"[Airborne] was founded for one main reason — to provide the highest level of patient care possible with the highest safety possible,” Garrard said. “You never know when an emergency may occur, but when they do, it’s nice to know someone is there who can handle it.”
Airborne flies a Mitsubishi Diamond Jet. The aircraft, known as “Critical Care One,” has been configured into an intensive care unit. It features cardiac monitors, defibrillators, pacemakers, mechanical ventilators, intravenous pumps and a complete critical-care pharmacy. Also, the jet aircraft has an on-board laboratory.
The flight team is made up of two pilots, one nurse and one respiratory practitioner. Garrard said the jet, which can travel at speeds up to 500 mph, will fly all over the United States to transport patients. Garrard expects to have one or two flights per day when Airborne opens next week.
Patients cannot be transported unless they have an appointment or have been accepted at a medical facility, Garrard said. “We just can’t surprise a hospital or facility with you, even if it’s an emergency transport to the emergency room,” Garrard said. “We have to make sure they know you are coming.”
Garrard said Airborne is committed to educating the community about healthcare. Airborne has partnered with Johnston Community College to offer Cleveland Clinic’s Certified Intensive Care Provider, a certification course for people interested in critical-care medicine. Also, Airborne will work with the college’s senior paramedic students.
Garrard said caring for patients will always be the main goal of Airborne. “That is our focus,” he said. “Yes, you have to make money to survive, but we aren’t in this to become millionaires. We got into this for the patients.”