The importance of air medical transport in an emergency
At the end of the summer of 2022, Joël Brisebois and his fishing and hunting partner, Jean-Guy Genest, were enjoying a trout fishing trip at the Haltaparche outfitter located in La Tuque, 6 km north of Lake Elwood. Suddenly, Joël was struck by cold sweats, trembling, unable to breathe or stand, with clammy hands and blurred vision. It was the first time Joël had ever experienced such a situation. He was in the unknown. He did not grasp the seriousness of his condition. Gradually, stress gave way to panic as his blood pressure reached 220. Discover how Airmedic’s air medical transport enabled Joël to quickly receive emergency care and regain safety.
A critical decision in a remote area
After an hour in this situation, Joël, Jean-Guy, and the outfitter staff realized that the situation was serious and that Joël was at risk of losing consciousness at any moment. As a result, they made the decision to call on Airmedic for a medical helicopter transport.
“I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I was sure I was going to die. But knowing that Airmedic was on the way was so reassuring. I knew that I would soon be taken care of by professionals.” – Joël Brisebois
Joël had his satellite phone with him, but the Haltaparche outfitter had also recently installed a landline. Thanks to this line, the team immediately contacted Airmedic’s emergency center. An Airmedic medical professional quickly took the call to guide the staff on site and stabilize Joël’s condition, thus preventing any deterioration before the helicopter’s arrival. The Airmedic team launched the mission without delay and flew rapidly toward the patient. Meanwhile, ongoing communication with the flight coordinator reassured Joël and Jean-Guy, who remained calm despite the situation.
A rapid and effective intervention
Upon Airmedic’s arrival on site, Joël’s blood pressure read 195, still a critical value. The medical team stabilized Joël and ran a few tests to ensure he was fit to fly. A few minutes later, they took off toward the Haut-Saint-Maurice hospital center. Jean-Guy joined them by road.
For five hours, Joël received care. Doctors and nurses performed a series of tests and five blood samples. Finally, at 6:30 p.m., he was on his way home with the appropriate medication. His safety was no longer at risk.
“I’ve been an Airmedic member since 2016, and this was the first time I needed their service. You think you’ll never need it, but believe me, I was glad to have my Airmedic protection.” – Joël Brisebois
Airmedic, a private and innovative Quebec company, offers ground and air medical assistance and transport services throughout Quebec. For the past 10 years, we have carried out more than 7,000 missions and transported over 13,000 patients. Joël is now among those who have benefited from our help.
Whether by plane or helicopter, Airmedic flies to your rescue.
