By Bryan Eneas, paNOW staff
La Ronge EMS delivered a baby girl some 10,000 feet in the air.
Both mom and baby are doing well according to Corey Ecarnot, the operations manager for La Ronge EMS.
Turns out births in the air are not an uncommon occurrence for La Ronge Emergency Medical Services.
Busy couple weeks for delivering babies @LaRongeEMS . Paramedics deliver #babygirl 10,000 feet in the air during a #Medevac last week, and a #babyboy just south of #LaRonge yesterday in the #Ambulance. Congrats to all parents and family. #Jobwelldone by our #Paramedics.
— La Ronge EMS (@LaRongeEMS) November 30, 2017
Ecarnot estimated the baby girl born last week was the fifth or sixth delivered in the air in the last six months saying typically such deliveries happen due to patients’ remote location.
“Our transport time from La Ronge to [the Victoria Hospital] if they are going down to be delivered in Prince Albert… is up to two and a half hours long,” Ecarnot said.
He estimated La Ronge Emergency Medical Services can receive 30 to 50 labour or pregnancy calls a month.
When paramedics are forced to deliver a baby in the air, their surroundings are similar to an ambulance according to Ecarnot, many of the same tools are within an arm’s reach, but turbulence can present some challenges during and aerial delivery.
The northern air medevac program doesn’t have any boundaries in terms of their coverage area. Ecarnot said calls have been placed from north of Fond du Lac, and as far south as Regina. Calls have even taken staff as far east as Winnipeg.