This modern emergency vehicle, with its highly specialised intensive care incubator unit, is the cornerstone of the ‘Baby Emergency Ambulance System’ of the Nuremberg branch of St John Ambulance. In addition to the incubator, it is also equipped with a ventilator, a device for heating and humidifying the ventilation air, an intensive care monitor for displaying various vital functions of the premature baby plus several syringe pumps as well as its own oxygen supply and a powerful rechargeable battery. A specially equipped emergency kit is on board for the care of premature babies. The BNAW also carries different child seats, because not only premature or newborn babies are driven to special examinations, but also infants.
Throughout the period of operation, all BNAWS have been built in Mercedes vans. Initially in specially equipped panel vans, the first box body, built and equipped by WAS, was introduced in 2010 as part of a public tender in Bavaria. After nine years of operation and more than 335,000 kilometres, it was replaced by a modern model The ninth generation of the BNAW is based on the current Mercedes Sprinter model VS30. The box body from WAS basically corresponds to the somewhat wider layout of the heavy-duty RTW model for Bavaria. The new BNAW boasts a number of new features compared to the standard model. First of all, a modern air suspension has been installed on the rear axle to replace the leaf springs. On the left side of the vehicle,there are two attendant seats for doctor and emergency paramedic. A generously sized storage cupboard accommodates a selection of baby car seats and child seats on the right. In addition to the mandatory oxygen supply, the vehicle is now also equipped with compressed medical air. This means that individual ventilation patterns can be set. There is a warming compartment for infusions and a cooling compartment for special baby medication. In order to care for babies outside the incubator, e.g. after home births, and to protect them as best as possible from heat loss, the workstation on the partition wall has been fitted with a heat lamp and a heat mat.
The new design, however, did not only focus on very small patients. The emergency vehicle has special seats in the driver’s cab that are easy on the back, as well as an electric loading system for the incubator intensive care unit, which weighs over 150 kilos.
It is worth around 100,000 EURO, the vehicle around 200,000 EURO. The value of the more than forty years of experience of St John Nuremberg in the care and gentle transport of premature and newborn babies is, however, priceless.
Excerpt from the St John celebratory publication “40 Years of Baby Emergency Ambulance Nuremberg 1979 -2019” by Markus Jessberger,JUH Nuremberg, 2019.
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