EHS LifeFlight

EHS LifeFlight is the critical care and air medical transport service for Nova Scotia, Canada. The website calls it a vital part of emergency medical services, providing critical care to Nova Scotians and beyond. The service is based at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield.

The Critical Care Team can be sent to treat and transport high acuity, ill and injured patients. Many of these patients need care from specialists at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, the IWK Health Centre or regional hospitals.

The Air Medical Transport Service moves basic and advanced care patients over long distances between Halifax, Sydney and Yarmouth. Trips are for routine testing, procedures or admissions. A second fixed wing aircraft was added in 2023 in collaboration with the Department of Health and Wellness.

EHS LifeFlight has three transport options. Two Sikorsky S-76C+ helicopters are operated by Canadian Helicopters Limited. A King Air 200 airplane is operated by PAL Aerospace Limited. Ground ambulances are also available. The team chooses the mode based on patient acuity, location and time of day.

The service completes both interfacility and scene missions. Its airplane and helicopters can land at the closest airport to a community. Helicopters can land at hospital helipads or at designated community helipads. Trained local personnel help land helicopters at or near an emergency scene.

The service operates in all weather conditions, but its pilots decide to fly only when they can do so safely. When aircraft cannot fly, the critical care crew responds by ground ambulance. When several requests come in at once, patients are triaged with the highest priority first.

The adult Critical Care Team, the Air Medical Transport Service and the aviation crews are based at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The obstetric, neonatal and pediatric critical care team is based at the IWK Health Centre. The service also offers landing zone officer helipad training.

Services

• Critical Care Team
• Air Medical Transport Service
• Scene missions
• Interfacility missions
• Helicopter transport
• Fixed wing transport
• Ground ambulance support
• Landing zone officer helipad training
• Obstetric and neonatal critical care
• Patient triage