Critical Care Transport

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Critical Care Transport

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(800) 822-6478

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Providing Medical Transport Services Since 1983

CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

CCT'S JET AIRCRAFT

Learn About the Twin-engine Jet

UAB Medicine’s Critical Care Transport (CCT) service is for people in the United States and worldwide who need to be transported from one medical facility to another for care. Launched in 1983, it has completed over 60,000 transports, and its jet can often fly above or around weather that is too rough for helicopters. Patients do not have to be going to or from UAB Hospital to use CCT.

The service is available 24/7, 365 days a year. CCT makes complete arrangements for bedside-to-bedside transport, including ground transportation before and after flights. Its twin-engine jet aircraft features an onboard intensive care unit (ICU) that provides advanced support during long-distance transports, whether inside or outside the United States. For ground transports within 125 miles of Birmingham, CCT has a fleet of five vehicles that also are equipped with ICUs.

Our team and services

Each adult medical transport team includes an ICU-trained registered nurse (RN) and a registered respiratory therapist (RT), and physicians are available 24/7 as needed. Each team member is specially trained in aeromedical physiology, which studies how changes in pressure, temperature, and motion during flight affect the human body and mind. For neonatal patients, a neonatal nurse practitioner and/or respiratory therapist will be on the transport care team.

CCT’s onboard medical capabilities include:

Ventilator management
BiPAP breathing support
End-tidal CO₂ monitoring
High-flow oxygen
Nitric oxide (adult and neonatal)
Neonatal high-frequency ventilation
Laboratory analysis
Intra-aortic balloon pump
Ventricular assist devices, including impellas (heart pumps)
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management
Intra-cranial pressure monitoring
Transvenous pacing (temporary pacemaker)
Neonatal temperature management, including active cooling

International recognition

CCT has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) since 1999. CAMTS is an international organization that promotes voluntary compliance with standards related to the quality and safety of the care and services provided during air/ground transports.

The CAMTS accreditation is a mark of excellence recognized by federal and state agencies as well as private organizations. In 2017, the CAMTS Board of Directors recognized CCT as “one of the few programs that has achieved full accreditation on a consistent basis, with few contingencies and excellent safety culture survey results.”

If you have questions, please call the CCT coordinator at 1-800-822-6478.

CCT has transported over 700 patients on an intra-aortic balloon pump.

CCT has 8 neonatal nurse practitioners and all respiratory therapists are registered.

The jet can often fly above or around weather that helicopters cannot.

The jet interior was designed based on 20+ years of patient experience in the previous aircraft and features multiple dual systems for back-up.

CCT’s teams have traveled to 48 states and 38 countries.

In Guantanamo Bay to transport a patient home following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The jet was the first U.S. aircraft to fly a new route over Cuba getting the patient back to the U.S. 30 minutes sooner.

In 1983, CCT’s jet became the first civilian aircraft in the U.S. to have a liquid oxygen system allowing long distance ventilator transport.

CCT is able to do all types of mechanical ventilation, Bi-Pap, neonatal high-frequency ventilation and high flow oxygen.

All Medical Control physicians are attending physicians from UAB Hospital’s 1000 MD faculty representing all specialties.

Supporting a 100+ bed neonatal ICU, CCT transports infants from all over the region and assists other hospitals as well.

UAB15 at Birmingham’s Sloss Furnace, now a national landmark of the iron industry that gave rise to the city. This is CCT’s first bio-friendly ambulance capable of running off of bio-diesel.

Allowing our CCT patient to say good-bye to his wife before departing the referring hospital.

Dual patient configuration. CCT nurses have a minimum of 3 years of ICU experience and are required to have or obtain an advanced nursing certification.

Interesting Facts

CCT completed its first transport in March 1983, moving quadruplets from UAB Hospital to Brookwood Medical Center.
Transports completed to 46 states and 38 countries
CCT has transported over 875 patients who needed an intra-aortic balloon pump and a ventricular assist device.

Had the first civilian aircraft in the country with a liquid oxygen system (the oxygen canisters had serial numbers 1 and 2)
Has been featured on The Learning Channel, the National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, CNN, and MSNBC
CCT team members starred in the film “Johnny Flinton”, which won an Oscar in 2003 for Best Short Films.
Provided the medical team for President Bush’s visit to Birmingham in 2001
Has performed up to 77 defibrillations on one transport (the patient survived!)
Evacuated 21 patients during hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and provided staff, supplies, equipment, and ambulances for the National Disaster Management System
Transported eight babies simultaneously out of New Orleans in the jet during Hurricane Gustav in 2008
The CCT jet was the only civilian aircraft allowed back in the air on Sept. 11, 2001, bringing a patient to UAB Hospital from Monroe, La.
Has the first Cessna Citation Bravo jet in the world with a “clamshell door” installed
Was the first U.S. aircraft to fly a new route over Cuban airspace to evacuate a victim of the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010. This saved 30 critical minutes of flight time, and the new medevac flight path was followed by many air ambulances afterward.
A gondola was used in Venice, Italy as part of “ground transportation”.

Standing CCT records:

First nurse to transport 2,000 patients: John Doriety, RN (January 2016); he also was the first nurse to transport 3,000 patients (December 2020).
Most transports in one day: 23 (Sheryl Pettis, transport coordinator)
Most intra-aortic balloon pump transports in one day: 3

Research and Publications

PUBLICATIONS

Demmons, L., Contributor, “Repatriation”; Kissner, K., Wamack, G., (2023) ASTNA Advanced Trauma for the Transport Professional, 8th Edition, Aurora, CO, p. 253-259.

Demmons, L., “Vehicle Specifications and Fleet Maintenance”, Treadwell, D., Santiago, J., (2019) ASTNA Standards for Critical Care and Specialty Transport, 2nd Edition, Aurora, CO, p. 102-106.

Demmons, L., Minton, R., Taylor, G., “Transporting the Deceased: Partnering with the Organ Recovery Center to Improve Transplant Outcomes”, Air Medical Journal, Nov-December 2018, 37:6, p. 374-379.

Demmons, L., “Infectious and Communicable Diseases”; Clark, D., Treadwell, D., et al (2017), ASTNA Critical Care Transport Core Curriculum, Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association, Aurora, CO, p. 423-434.

Demmons, L., James, S., (2010) ASTNA Standards for Critical Care and Specialty Ground Transport, 2nd Edition, Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association, Centennial, CO, Cottrell Printing Company.

Demmons, L., “Twenty-five Years Later: Critical Care Transport”, Air Medical Journal, Nov – Dec 2008, Vol. 27, No. 6, p. 276-280.

Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association: Demmons, L, Stevens, L, High, K, Lin, J., “Transport Nurse Safety in the Transport Environment, Position Paper”, Sept 2006.

Demmons, L., “Chasing Ambulance Safety”, Air Medical Journal, May-June, 2005.

Gruszecki, A., Kahler, D., Smith, D., Vines, J., Lancaster, L., et al, “Utilization, Reliability and Clinical Impact of Point-of-care Testing during Critical Care Transport: Six Years of Experience”, Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 49, No. 6, 2003.

Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems Best Practices, Volume II, 2001; Volume III, 2004; most cited program in Volume IV, 2007; Volume V, 2012; Volume VI, 2017, Seventh Edition, 2020.

Randolph, V., Kahler, D., Howard, C., Hortin, G., “Laboratories on the Move: Blood Gas Analysis”, Laboratory Medicine, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2000.

Brunson M., Lancaster L., “Transport of Critically Ill Patients: How to Avoid Pitfalls”, Clinical Pulmonary Review, Vol. 6, No. 4, July 1999.

Demmons, L., Cook,E., “Anxiety in Adult Fixed-Wing Air Transport Patients”, Air Medical Journal, July – September 1997.

Critical Care Transport History

Critical Care Transport began in March of 1983 out of a need to provide transportation for critically-ill persons who required transportation to the University of Alabama Hospital and other large medical facilities. The University of Alabama Critical Care Transport service was the first civilian aircraft in the country to use a liquid oxygen system with interchangeable liquid oxygen canisters, serial numbers 1 and 2. The first international trip by CCT was to Canada. The first intra-aortic balloon pump transport was in 1985 and since then we have transported over 700 IABP patients. Since 1983, in the U.S., we have transported to and from 48 states, over 60,000 patients, and traveled over 27 million miles.

International Transports

Worldwide transport service is available through Critical Care Transport. International transports are equipped and staffed as domestic transports

Some advance notice is required for international transports due to overnight requirements. Due to the length of some of the transports, an overnight stay may be required. All arrangements for the overnight stay, as well as all other components of the trip, will be arranged by the transport service.

Because international transports are usually not covered by insurance, financial arrangements must be secured prior to US departure.

ADDRESS

UAB Critical Care Transport
1717 11th Avenue South, Suite 401
Birmingham, AL 35205
(205) 934-3865

Public Notification

Public Notice

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems will conduct an accreditation site visit of UAB Critical Care Transport on February 23-24, 2026.

The purpose of the site visit will be to evaluate the program’s compliance with nationally established medical transport standards. The site visit results will be used to determine whether, and the conditions under which accreditation should be awarded to the program.

CAMTS accreditation standards deal with issues of patient care and safety of the transport environment. Anyone believing that he or she has pertinent or valid information about such matters may request a public information interview with the CAMTS site surveyors at the time of the site visit. Information presented at the interview will be carefully evaluated for relevance to the accreditation process. Requests for public information interviews must be made in writing and sent to CAMTS no later than 10 business days before the site survey begins. The request should also indicate the nature of the information to be provided during the interview. Such request should be addressed to:

Office of the Executive Director
Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems
PO Box 130
Sandy Springs, SC 29677

The Commission will acknowledge such written requests in writing or by telephone and will inform the program of the request for an interview. The Commission will, in turn, notify the interviewee of the date, time and place of the meeting.

This notice is posted in accordance with CAMTS requirements and shall not be removed until the site visit is completed.

POSTED JANUARY 22, 2026

Policy

The Commission requires a Program to inform the public of a scheduled Site Survey, other than a Site Survey following a fatal Accident, and invites them to provide the Site Survey team with relevant information. The Program must provide an opportunity for members of the public to participate in a public information interview during a site visit. The public includes but is not limited to referral and receiving agents; patients and their families; patient advocacy and advocacy groups; and members of the community the program serves.

Guidelines

The Commission requires that the Program scheduled for a Site Survey post or make announcements of: The Site Survey date.

The opportunity for a public information interview; and how to request an interview.

Postings shall be made in a format consistent with the one provided by the Commission (see example to follow) and should be posted in public areas where the Program is based (reception areas, airport facilities, hospital reception areas, etc.)

Advance Notice: Postings shall be displayed at least 30 days prior to a Site Survey. Notices must remain posted until the Site Survey is completed. Failure to provide advance notice may result in the cancellation of the Site Survey at the Program’s expense (see Policy 04.05.00).

Informing the community: Reasonable steps must be taken to inform the community of its opportunity for public information interviews at least 30 days before the site visit. Failure to provide notice to the public may result in the cancellation of the Site Survey at the Program’s expense (see Policy 04.05.00).

Reasonable Steps include, but are not limited to:

Informing stakeholders that have communicated with the Program in the previous 12 months.
Reaching out to other members of the community (choose at least two of the following strategies): Public service announcements Classified advertisements (run 2-3 days, 30 days prior to visit), Postings on the Program’s Web site, Announcements in newsletters.
Informing individuals who inquire about the Site Survey about the Site Survey date and the public’s opportunity to participate.

Compliance with the Public Information Interview Policy. The Site Surveyors will review the Program’s compliance with the policy outlined above and indicate whether it believes the Program has complied with the policy during the closing conference. Findings will be included in the Site Surveyor’s report to the Board.