An air ambulance is a critical medical service that allows for the safe and rapid transportation of a patient by air in a fully equipped medical environment. This mode of transport can save lives when every second counts. But what exactly is an air ambulance? And in what situations should you consider using one?
What Is an Air Ambulance?
An air ambulance is a specially equipped airplane or helicopter designed to provide medical transport for patients. Onboard, you’ll find intensive care equipment and a specialized medical team ready to act at any moment. Depending on the type of mission, the medical crew can include emergency physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, or other specialized technicians.
These aircraft are built to provide continuous monitoring of a patient’s condition—even in critical cases. Comfort, safety, and speed are the key strengths of this service.
When Should You Use an Air Ambulance?
Here are a few situations where using an air ambulance becomes essential:
- Following a serious accident in a remote area (e.g., forest, northern regions)
- For medical rapatriation from abroad back to Canada
- In case of a transfer between two hospitals, where rapid and stable transport is required
- For medical evacuations in difficult or isolated environments (ZECs, islands, remote regions)
- During weather-related events or natural disasters where roads are inaccessible
Air Ambulance Services Offered by Airmedic
Airmedic offers several types of air ambulance services, tailored to the specific needs of patients and organizations. With a versatile fleet and expert medical teams, Airmedic operates throughout Québec and internationally. Here is an overview of the three main service categories.
1. Pre-Hospital Air Ambulance: For Individuals in Québec
This service is for people who are injured or ill and require emergency evacuation from hard-to-reach areas such as remote cottages, northern territories, or ZECs. When a ground ambulance can’t respond in time or the distance is too great, pre-hospital air ambulance becomes critical
🔹 Target audience : Québec residents, outdoor enthusiasts, vacationers, workers in remote regions
🔹 Examples : snowmobile accidents, cardiac emergencies, severe injuries in the woods, emergency childbirths in remote areas
🔹 Benefits : fast response, qualified paramedic team onboard, access to emergency care from the moment of pick-up
👉 Get Airmedic pre-hospital protection in Québec
2. Interfacility Air Ambulance: For Hospitals in Québec and Canada
Airmedic also provides interfacility medical transfers for patients who need specialized care at another hospital. This service supports health institutions that must move stable or unstable patients to tertiary or specialized care centers.
🔹 Target audience : hospitals, CLSCs, healthcare facilities in Québec and across Canada
🔹 Examples : transferring a patient to a trauma center, evacuating an infant to a pediatric hospital, transporting an organ transplant recipient
🔹 Benefits : rapid coordination, continuity of care during flight, experienced medical team
👉 See our approach to interfacility medical transport
3. International Medical Repatriation: For Patients Abroad
Airmedic provides international medical repatriation for Canadians who fall ill or are injured abroad. Whether for an uninsured traveler or through an assistance company, Airmedic handles the entire medical return process—via air ambulance or escorted commercial flight.
🔹 Target audience : assistance companies, uninsured individuals, Canadian expats, embassies, insurers
🔹 Examples : accident in Florida, medical crisis in Europe, return of a sick senior from Latin America
🔹 Benefits : multilingual team, turnkey coordination, high-quality medical escort on board
👉 Request a transport and explore our international repatriation service
The Advantages of Air Ambulance Transport
Choosing an air ambulance means prioritizing speed and safety. Here are a few key benefits:
- Precious time savings: response times are much shorter than with ground ambulances, especially over long distances
- Fully equipped medical environment: defibrillators, ventilators, monitors, infusion pumps
- Trained medical crew: medical intervention can begin during the flight
- Patient comfort: climate-controlled cabin, reduced vibration, direct access to the hospital upon arrival
According to Québec’s Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ), response time is a decisive factor in the survival of patients with serious trauma. Airborne medicine plays a vital role in this outcome.
How a Medical Flight Works
The process is usually streamlined and efficient:
- Medical evaluation of the patient
- Flight logistics planning (clearances, weather, airport coordination)
- Patient pick-up at home or hospital
- In-flight medical monitoring
- Transfer to the destination healthcare facility
Who Can Benefit From This Service?
The air ambulance service is available for:
- Patients who are injured or ill, in Québec or abroad
- Insured travelers requiring a medical return
- Emergency organizations, government agencies, or companies operating in remote areas
- Uninsured individuals seeking fast, professional medical transport
Good to know: Airmedic also offers medical escort services on commercial flights for stable patients. See details here.
Why Choose Airmedic for Your Air Ambulance Needs?
Airmedic is the only Québec-based air carrier exclusively accredited for emergency medical services. Our teams are available 24/7 with a fleet adapted to every type of mission. Our human approach, rapid deployment capabilities, and medical expertise make all the difference.
Read patient testimonials to learn more about their experience
In Conclusion
Calling on an air ambulance can be a life-saving decision in critical situations. Whether for emergency evacuation, hospital transfer, or international repatriation, this service allows fast, efficient, and secure medical intervention. At Airmedic, we are committed to delivering high-quality care in the air—anywhere, anytime.
For emergencies or service requests, visit airmedic.net or contact our 24/7 coordination center.
