New Medical Flight Team Members in Training

Seven members of the province’s second medical flight team that will be stationed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay have begun training and will be operational by the middle of the summer. Recruitment of the remaining members of the team is ongoing. The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services, provided this update in response to questions raised by the Third Party.

“We moved the air ambulance to Happy Valley-Goose Bay to ensure that we are capable of responding to all areas of the province within one hour’s flying time,” said Minister Sullivan. “We made that decision based on solid evidence and with the safety and well-being of the people of the province in mind. It appears that the Member for The Straits-White Bay North is asking us to ignore that evidence and put people’s lives at risk so he can have an air ambulance in his district.”

As part of the air ambulance’s move to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the Provincial Government committed to enhancing the air ambulance program by adding a second medical flight team in Labrador.

“Our air ambulance program has always been served by one medical flight team stationed out of St. John’s,” said Minister Sullivan. “With the addition of our new team and the positioning of our aircraft in Labrador, we are further strengthening this program and response capabilities.”

Air ambulance statistics for 2012-13 show that there are approximately 1,100 air ambulance flights per year with 264 transfers originating in Labrador, which is approximately 75 per cent more flights than St. Anthony. Of the 264 air ambulance flights from Labrador, 196 were considered emergency transfers compared to only 49 emergency transfers out of St. Anthony during the same period.

Newfoundland and Labrador has a robust air ambulance program served by two King Airs; a supplemental air service contracted with Provincial Airlines for out of province transports; and, a Twin Otter aircraft to respond to air ambulance calls on the Labrador Coast.

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Media contact:
Scott Barfoot
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 690-6290
scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca 

2013 05 08             5:25 p.m.