Airmedic held a press conference at its Saint-Hubert Base today to mark its official launch. Some sixty guests joined media and staff as Airmedic president and CEO Christian Trudeau explained the operational structure and acquisitions that helped get the company off the ground.

“When it’s time to save lives, Airmedic now has the capacity to intervene anywhere in Quebec, from major cities to remote wilderness areas, as quickly as humanly possible,” said Christian Trudeau.

Major investments and a winning operational structure

A 25 million dollar investment this spring enabled Airmedic to swiftly set up a high-performance operational structure.

Just two months after the company was founded, Airmedic already boasts a state-of-the-art fleet comprising four helicopters and one Pilatus PC12 plane. Further acquisitions are planned for the coming months. Rescue operations launch from four strategically located bases—Saint-Hubert, the Laurentians, Quebec City, and Saguenay. Airmedic is already planning to open a fifth base in Chibougamau, and looking into additional locations.

The success of Airmedic’s mission hinges on the company’s devoted, highly professional staff of close to fifty. Its medical intervention teams are made up of seasoned helicopter and airplane pilots, a medical director with expertise in emergency medicine, and experienced nursing and paramedic professionals with specialized aeromedical training.

“Our investments have created fifty new jobs across Quebec, but that’s not all,” Trudeau added. “We have also built a unique business—the only one of its kind in Quebec.”

An essential service for the population of Quebec

Several factors paved the way for Airmedic to take its place in the world of emergency medical care. Paramount among them is the need to treat injured patients immediately, within the time period known as the “golden hour”—often a matter of life and death in emergency medical situations. The “golden hour” principle holds that administering care in the first hour following a traumatic injury will decrease the risk of death, complications, and aftereffects.

“Quebec was one of the few places in the western world without an established service of this kind. Airmedic is providing an essential service to the public, private businesses, and hospitals,” Mr. Trudeau said in closing.