Grand Manan air ambulance service to be restored this year

Ambulance New Brunswick (ANB) announced on February 1 that they have signed a contract with Voyageur Aviation that will see an air ambulance stationed on Grand Manan by September. Since December 2022 islanders have had to rely on mainland based planes for medevacs, with backup from Nova Scotia's LifeFlight and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax when ANB's plane is unavailable. Longtime medevac provider Atlantic Charters was ousted from the role when new Transport Canada duty time regulations that would require more pilots came into effect and contract negotiations stalled.
ANB currently has two King Air 200 planes, a primary and secondary mechanical back up, which it states "[allow] for enhanced ability to operate in a wider range of inclement weather conditions. The Grand Manan aircraft will also be a King Air 200 and will mirror the provincial program's existing planes, equipped with the same avionics and capability."
"After much hard work, we are excited to announce this improvement to air ambulance services on the island of Grand Manan," says Craig Dalton, CEO of EM/ANB Inc. "We are proud to be able to continue our excellent working relationship with Voyageur, which has been the primary air ambulance provider for New Brunswick for more than 25 years. We value their long track record of providing safe and reliable air transport services."
ANB's press release states that the new service will also bring to Grand Manan for the first time "24/7 advanced care paramedic (ACP) staffing, complementing the excellent care currently provided by the primary care paramedics stationed on the island. Through their education and certification, ACPs are able to provide a host of additional interventions and advanced medication administration. The level of air ambulance service will transition to 24/7 advanced life support (ALS) service available -- a first for Grand Manan."
ANB spokesman Eric Robichaud explains that ACPs can provide "advanced airway management, more options for vascular access, needle thoracostomy and advanced electrical therapy. They are also equipped with additional medications crucial for treating conditions such as seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, post partum hemorrhage, trauma and pain. The contract allows for one 24/7 advanced care paramedic position to be based out of Grand Manan, which requires four full time employees and one part time employee. All ANB employees will be housed in an existing ANB base while on duty."
Robichaud says the provincial ALS service based out of Moncton "has always provided advanced life support, but this was not previously available 24/7 on Grand Manan without hospital staff assisting."
"This is a significant, concrete step forward in improving access to care for the residents of Grand Manan," says Minister of Health Bruce Fitch. "Today's announcement is the culmination of substantial work by many partners. I want to thank everyone for their patience as work was happening behind the scenes to make this service a reality."
"Voyageur has built a strong partnership with Ambulance New Brunswick and has developed a high performing service, supported by a well equipped aircraft and an experienced and dedicated team," says Cory Cousineau, president, Voyageur Aviation. "As we continue to collaborate with Ambulance New Brunswick and the Department of Health to enhance our services for the province, our team will maintain safe and reliable operations for the people of New Brunswick and the island of Grand Manan."
Voyageur is a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc. headquartered in North Bay, Ontario. It is "an integrated provider of specialized aviation services, including contract flying operations both internationally and domestically, and offers advanced engineering and maintenance capabilities. Voyageur delivers innovative solutions to customers with unique aviation requirements and operates under the core principles of comprehensive safety management, quality assurance and client dedicated solutions." Chorus Aviation referred inquiries to ANB.
ANB states that they continue to "collaborate closely with Voyageur towards maximizing the usage of the provincial air ambulance's back up aircraft in support of services on Grand Manan whenever operational requirements [including pilot staffing and aircraft maintenance] allow. This interim solution is anticipated to be partially operational starting in March, while work is done to prepare for the new aircraft to be stationed on the island by September 2024." Robichaud adds, "Any air ambulance aircraft will require hangarage for storage."
As to the cost of this plan compared to the previous island based company's contract, Robichaud says, "Due to confidentiality, we cannot comment on the financial terms of this contract."
Mayor Bonnie Morse says, "It's a relief to everyone to finally have an end date in sight" for the village's efforts. "Thanks to [the Department of Health] and ANB for hearing us." While she doesn't know the detailed plan, she is looking forward to the secondary plane being stationed on Grand Manan when possible starting in March, until the September arrival of the third one.