By paNOW Staff

Saving lives

Saskatchewan Air Ambulance marks 75th anniversary

Apr 12, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The Government of Saskatchewan is highlighting the work of Saskatchewan Air Ambulance this week with a series of stories and videos.

The medevac service turns 75 this year. It is the oldest non-military, government air ambulance service in the world, according to a media release from the Government of Saskatchewan.

Since 1946, it has transported more than 71,00 patients, and currently averages approximately 110 flights per month.

“Saskatchewan Air Ambulance provides a critical service for the people of the province,” SaskBuilds and Procurement minister Jim Reiter said in the release. “It has a unique and rich history dating back to 1946 and is a lifeline for all corners of Saskatchewan.”

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It’s easy to take their modern medical equipment and tools for granted, but Air Ambulance was seen as a marvel of hope for remote communities in the 1940s. Back then, trains ran on limited schedules, highways were rough, and winters could mean total isolation during emergencies. Back then, the Norseman-brand planes flew at 240 km/hr. By comparison, today’s King Air 200 fleet cruises at 500 km/hr in all weather conditions anywhere in the province without refuelling.

A nurse in 1949 taking pulse of patient inside plane. (Government of Saskatchewan)

Some of the ambulance service’s more than 70 pilots, aircraft engineers, flight nurses, flight paramedics and administrative staff are profiled in the new series.

“Saskatchewan Air Ambulance has been a great partner helping us provide high quality care to the people of this province,” Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said. “This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the lives they have saved and the critical role they play helping ensure we can get to every corner of this province to help Saskatchewan residents when they are most in need.”

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow