Michael Hennes needed help. Fast.

The 4-year-old Ashland boy has cerebral palsy and seizures. So when he arrived at Samaritan Regional Health System in Ashland last month with a raging fever and ragged breathing, the ER staff knew he required specialized care immediately.

Michael didn't have time to wait for an ambulance to make the hourlong trek to Akron Children's Hospital.

Enter ''Air Bear.''

Since Akron Children's Hospital launched its own medical helicopter program a year ago, the number of critically ill and injured kids flown to Akron for emergency care has soared.

Michael is one of 521 children from northern and central Ohio and neighboring states who flew to Akron aboard the Air Bear medical chopper during the first 11 months of this year.

During that same period last year, the hospital's transport team
brought 65 patients to Akron Children's via other medical helicopters based in the region.

''It really has been able to extend our team,'' said Dr. John Pope, a pediatric critical-care doctor and the hospital's director of transport services. ''We really wanted to get our team to the patient.''

Akron Children's joined with Med-Trans Corp. of suburban Dallas late last year to provide the $6 million, kids-only medical helicopter based at the hospital's rooftop helipad.

By traveling in the air, the medical team can respond within 15 or 20 minutes to hospitals in Ashland, Mansfield, Youngstown and other communities that are an hour or more away by ground.

Before getting its own dedicated chopper, Children's had to wait for an aircraft to become available in the region and pick up the hospital's staff whenever air transport was requested.

''Our turnaround time is faster,'' said Kendra Paxton, a certified nurse practitioner and manager of transport and the communications center.

Michael's story

In Michael's case, the call for help came to Children's communications center about 2 p.m. on a November afternoon.

Trained paramedics in the communications center — or ''comm center'' for short — coordinated the call between the ER staff in Ashland and the critical-care doctors at Children's to determine the best way to get Michael to Akron.

Michael was struggling to catch his breath. Not enough oxygen was flowing from his lungs to the rest of his body.

Tests confirmed he had influenza. His X-rays revealed possible pneumonia as well.

The decision quickly was made to ready the Air Bear team for takeoff.

The hospital has a transport team made up of registered nurses, respiratory therapists and paramedics available around the clock to bring critically ill and injured patients to Children's via Air Bear or one of four mobile intensive-care units.

A nurse goes on each trip, along with a respiratory therapist and/or a paramedic, depending on the needs of the child.

Dressed in their deep blue transport team jumpsuits, registered nurse Julie Wyatt and respiratory therapist Leigh Connelly grabbed a cot, a portable monitor and defibrillator, and two duffel bags stocked with the equipment and medicines needed to provide intensive care on the go.

The duo rushed their gear into an elevator to the hospital's roof, where pilot Joel Obertance was preparing Air Bear for takeoff.

Med-Trans owns the helicopter and provides an Akron-based team of pilots and a mechanic for around-the-clock availability.

The helicopter company bills patients and their insurance for the service and pays Children's for providing the medical staff aboard each flight.

Obertance knew little about the journey ahead, other than the destination.

The comm center staff never shares details about the patient until the pilot decides whether it is safe to fly. That way, the pilot isn't swayed by emotions when determining whether to approve a trip.

Within 10 minutes after getting the call from Ashland, the three strapped on their helmets, secured their seat belts and prepared for the 50-mile journey about 2,500 feet off the ground.

''Air Bear is lifting,'' Obertance radioed the comm center as the helicopter rose off the rooftop into the skies above Akron.

The eye-catching Air Bear is hard to miss, with the Akron Children's Hospital name, a smattering of brightly colored stars and a teddy bear decked out in pilot's gear.

Helicopter arrives

About 20 minutes later, the aircraft arrived on the rooftop helipad in Ashland, where a guard was waiting to greet the crew and escort it to Michael's bedside in the emergency department.

A quick response can be critical for ill and injured children.

''The purpose of pediatric critical-care transport is to bring the ICU to the patient as quickly as possible,'' said Dr. Michael Bigham, medical director for pediatric transport at Children's. ''The true benefit is getting the critical-care team to the patient.''

Immediately after landing, nurse Wyatt and respiratory therapist Connelly were by Michael's side in Room 11, with all their equipment resting nearby on their mobile cot.

Samaritan registered nurse Chris Coffy quickly gave them an update: Michael still was feverish and making squeaky, wheezing sounds as he tried to breathe. Despite numerous attempts, the staff had been unable to start an IV in his arm.

Connelly quickly readied an aerosol treatment to ease his breathing.

Michael struggled and whimpered in protest as she carefully placed the mask over his face.

''You're going to be OK,'' his grandmother told him. ''They're going to make you better.''

''You're doing a great job,'' Connelly added. ''We're almost done.''

Wyatt then discovered why starting an IV in Michael's veins was such a challenge. Michael was grinding his teeth as he thrashed and kicked with unexpected strength.

''This is a serious moving target here,'' she said to Connelly. ''See if you can grab another nurse to give us a hand. He's just too strong.''

With the help of Connelly, Coffy and Obertance, Wyatt was able to keep Michael's twitchy body and kicking legs still enough to thread the IV into his vein.

Exhausted, Michael fell asleep for a few moments in Wyatt's arms.

''He may not feel well, but he is a strong boy,'' Wyatt told his mother, who watched anxiously near the door.

After a quick call back to Children's to give an update and get medication orders from the medical control physician on duty, the team prepared Michael for his trip to Akron.

Wyatt explained to Michael's family that he was getting medicine through his IV to reduce swelling in his airway and fight his infection.

''It's OK, big guy,'' Wyatt said softly as they transferred him onto the cot and strapped him securely in for transport. ''It's OK, sweetie. It's OK.''

There's room for only one family member to come along for most trips.

It was decided that his aunt would ride in the front of the helicopter with the pilot, while Wyatt and Connelly tended to him in the back. The rest of the family planned to drive to Akron.

''We'll take good care of this little one for you,'' Wyatt assured his family as he was wheeled into an elevator to the helipad.

Ready for Akron

Wyatt slipped a pair of headphones over Michael's ears to drown out the roar of the helicopter and allow him to hear them talking.

The rear of the helicopter looks more like a high-tech hospital room than an aircraft.

Tubes snake through the patient area, which is stocked with IVs, a defibrillator, monitors, oxygen, medicines and breathing equipment for almost any situation.

Wyatt sat by Michael's feet, placing a hand on his legs to keep them still. Connelly positioned herself by his head, which she gently stroked throughout the flight.

The family member who goes along for the trip can't see what's happening in the patient area.

''I just want to let you know he's doing fine back here,'' Wyatt told his aunt through the speaker on her helmet.

Rays of sun streamed through the chopper's windows during the short but bumpy ride on the cool, windy fall afternoon.

''You guys all secure in the back?'' the pilot asked.

''Secure and ready,'' Wyatt responded.

Several other members of the transport team quickly encircled Air Bear after it safely landed on the hospital rooftop.

His aunt followed closely behind and watched as the team whisked Michael off the helipad and into his hospital bed at Children's.

Another trip, another young life potentially saved.

''He did fine,'' Wyatt told his aunt with a smile.

Mission accomplished.