UNC Carolina Air Care

Carolina Air Care is the critical care and emergency transport service of UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It is a hospital programme. It serves North Carolina and nearby areas by air and ground.

Services

The helicopters answer emergency scene requests and move critically ill patients between hospitals. Ground advanced life support and critical care ambulances run from UNC Hillsborough Hospital, Aberdeen and a TriCenter office. A special newborn and child team works with a nurse and a respiratory therapist on air transports. A communications center called Flightwatch takes requests, triages patients and sends aircraft and ground units.

Aircraft and bases

The service has four helicopters and a fleet of ambulances, all working around the clock. The helicopters are owned and operated by Air Methods, a certified air carrier. Each helicopter carries one nurse and one paramedic. Helicopter bases are in these places.

• Burlington
• Aberdeen
• Goldsboro
• Rocky Mount

Facts

• Type: hospital programme of UNC Health
• Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, as stated on the site
• Established in 1986 as an extension of UNC Memorial Hospital
• Helicopters owned and operated by Air Methods

Team and training

An education team keeps crews up to date with classes, simulations and equipment training. A logistics team looks after supplies and equipment. The site says the service has moved more than 120,000 patients in its history. Landing zone classes and lectures are offered to the community.