Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis has stepped up its commitment to pediatric emergency care with the launch of two new mobile intensive care ambulances. The hospital, aiming to provide advanced care to children across the Mid-South region, unveiled the vehicles on Friday, which are equipped to administer ICU-level treatment on the move. This development, as WREG reported, is part of their wider strategy to ensure swift and effective response in critical situations.
These ambulances have been funded with a $1 million federal grant secured by Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Memphis). "They're not just any ambulance. They’re rolling pediatric ICU’s fully equipped with neonatal isolettes, ventilators, advanced monitoring safety systems built for comfort and stability and the best transport team this nation has," Dr. Rudy Kink, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Le Bonheur, told WREG. Notably, these specialized vehicles are expected to significantly improve the hospital's response capabilities, especially for victims of violence and shootings, as well as other medical emergencies.
According to Dr. Kink's statement obtained by Local Memphis, these ambulances replicate the hospital's own facilities, sporting ventilators, heart resuscitation medications, pain management solutions, and more. "We have suction if they are vomiting. We have everything that the hospital has, all in this ambulance," Kink emphasized. The investment signals a significant upgrade in pediatric transport, ensuring that children are provided with the utmost care from the moment they enter the ambulance.
The need for such advanced transport options is pressing. Last year, Le Bonheur treated 180 children with gunshot wounds, a number that has seen a slight decrease in 2024 but remains a concerning issue. Cohen, credited for the funding, intends to continue his advocacy for healthcare resources in Tennessee. "We try to get our funding to those areas that are otherwise overlooked and the homeless as well," he told Local Memphis. The congressman's initiative aligns with the hospital's mission to serve the wider regional community, including Mississippi, Arkansas, and various counties in Tennessee.
Pedi-Flite, Le Bonheur's critical care transport team, will operate the new vehicles. As Action News 5 reported, Pedi-Flite responds to approximately 2,000 calls annually, delivering NICU and PICU-level care across state lines. The two new ambulances are not standalone additions but are replacing others that have aged out, maintaining a four-ambulance operation that ensures continuity of service and that an optimally equipped vehicle is always ready to deploy.
