The flashing lights and the sirens of Norman Regional Hospital’s new mobile intensive care unit are the same as any other ambulance, but its size and purpose differ drastically.

The new unit, which is the biggest ambulance in the state, was special ordered and purchased three weeks ago from St. Louis, Mo., said Steve Yarbrough, Norman Regional Hospital critical care paramedic.

The vehicle’s main purpose is to transport critically injured patients to other hospitals over long distances, Yarbrough said.

“It’s brand spanking new and took about three years to build,” Yarbrough said. “If you would’ve asked me to build my dream ambulance, this is exactly what I would’ve asked for.”

The ambulance is 29 feet long, around 8 feet wide and 10 feet tall, similar to the height of a semi-truck. A semi-truck’s legal height is 13.5 feet, according to the Department of Transportation’s Web site.

Holding around 100 gallons of gasoline, the vehicle drives a range of about 750 miles, Yarbrough said.

“It can get us from here down to Houston without refueling,” he said.

With a four-person cab, the ambulance is designed to transport two paramedics, a respiratory therapist and nurse in addition to the critically injured patient, Yarbrough said. Depending on the severity of the situation, a physician may replace the nurse, he said.

“We get a call or two a day that needs this vehicle,” Yarbrough said. “As we get each call, we evaluate the call and decide if it needs a regular ambulance or this.”

The ambulance helps paramedics better care for patients because it gives them all the equipment in one place, set up and ready to go. Unlike a regular ambulance, a mobile intensive care unit includes IVs, fluid warmers, a cot, defibrillator, monitors and a wide range of medications for any event, Yarbrough said.

The rear of the ambulance sits on two large air bags, which are activated when the back doors are opened, and gives the ambulance one of the smoothest rides possible, Yarbrough said.

Another state-of-the-art feature, Yarbrough said, are the two independent air conditioners used to cool the unit. In the event that the air conditioner in the back fails, it will switch over and run off the other in the front. For extra precaution, an inverter is also carried on the vehicle, which will power the system if needed.

“There’s absolutely no chance that the back will ever go without an air conditioner,” he said.

The ambulance was built to withstand elements of weather, including rain, ice and snow, Yarbrough said as he reached below the steering wheel to lift a red lever, activating the vehicle’s snow chains.

“About two years ago, we had a child we were transporting from Ada back to Norman and we had some problems in the snow,” Yarbrough said. “Now, in an instance like that, we just flip this switch and arms come down and engage the wheels, which lock the snow chains into place.”

Yarbrough said about once or twice a year paramedics are called to rescue someone stuck in inclement weather.

The ambulance cost about $325,000 after purchasing medicine and equipment, Yarbrough said. The project was paid for through federal grant funding, as well as donations from the Norman Physician Hospital Organization, Norman Auxiliary Hospital, Norman Health Foundation and a group of private donors.

Courtney Marino, OU arts and sciences sophomore, said she thought Norman Regional Hospital made a good choice in purchasing the life-saving vehicle.

“I think this money is put to go use,” Marino said. “One of my friends was in a life threatening accident and I would have felt better if something like this could have gotten to her faster and helped her needs.”