SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Air Ambulance (SAA) team is marking Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, which runs until March 10.
Operating out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s Air Ambulance Service, LIFEGUARD, is the oldest non-military air medical transport program in the world, serving Saskatchewan since 1946. The air ambulance service offers fully equipped medical aircraft to provide province-wide emergency medical evacuation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement owns and operates a fleet of four King Air 200 aircraft, while the medical service is administered by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The Air Ambulance Service plays a critical part in providing an enhanced level of emergency medical care throughout Saskatchewan, aiding Saskatchewan residents in their greatest time of need, according to a SaskBuilds and Procurement press release.
“As we celebrate Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, let us honour the incredible courage and dedication of the women who soar through the skies to save lives,” Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young said.
In April 2021, SAA celebrated 75 years of service, saving patients’ lives. SAA conducts approximately 1,500 patient transfers per year, and flies approximately one million kilometres each year.
Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is a global aviation awareness week that commemorates the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot licence which was issued on March 8, 1910. The week serves as a call to address gender imbalance in the air and space industry.
