Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock on Thursday announced the addition of an emergency transport helicopter to its transportation fleet.  

The EC 135 twin-engine helicopter has enough room for three providers and a patient, a pilot and an additional rider, according to a news release from the hospital. It’s noted that the pilot will have night-vision goggles to be able to safely fly at night.  

The helicopter has a 300-mile reach and can fly up to 135 knots or 155 miles per hour.  

Covenant Children’s is the only freestanding children’s hospital between Fort Worth and Albuquerque. It serves a large portion of West Texas and eastern New Mexico.  

The hospital has experienced an increased volume of transfers in the past two years, especially related to neonatal intensive care, according to the news release.  

“With such a large region comes some unique challenges,” said Covenant Children’s CEO Dr. Amy Thompson. “This helicopter will help us quickly and safely respond to the emergent needs of our pediatric population, getting our patients the expert pediatric care they need while staying as close to home as possible.”  

It’s noted that the decision regarding how to transport a patient is made by the physician providing care. The cost is first billed to insurance and there is no additional cost for specialty transport.