Collaboration enables medical transport of pediatric burn victim

Ground to air transport of pediatric burn case

Patient saved thanks to cohesive working tactics between Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the Shriners Organization and University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston

A severely burned 14-year-old Mexican boy required expert burn critical-care treatment, following a gas explosion at his home in the town of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

“Immediately upon receiving the request, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance deployed a Learjet 55 critical care air ambulance (tail # XA-UCI) to Aguascalientes. Concurrently, Shriners International secured admission access to the Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas, as well-as an emergency medical visa for the child. We had everything ready within a couple of hours,” said Carlos Salinas, CEO/COO of Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.

“Pediatric cases are challenging, and pediatric burn cases are gut-wrenching,” said Victor Cervantes, Critical Care Medical Director of Jet Rescue Air Ambulance. “Because two children from the same family were severely injured in the explosion, this case was especially disastrous,” he added.

“The burn unit of Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston is a world-class facility. I knew that if we delivered the child alive, he would have a reasonable shot at survival. Accordingly, our medical and ground teams worked with superior dedication, in hyper[1]drive mode, to meet the goal of delivering the child alive,” concluded Salinas.