Lifeflight solely using private planes this weekend as distressed pilots given time off

Manitoba's air ambulance program is being run entirely with private carriers this weekend, as publicly-funded pilots aregiven time off after learning their jobs are in jeopardy.

The provincially-run Manitoba Government Air Services offered Lifeflight's pilotsa three-day leave, which begantoday, after they were informed on Thursday they may not be neededonce the province uses private aircraftinstead, saidDr. Renate Singh, medical director for the program.

The pilots have been in distress ever since, Singhsaid.

"They've been givena rest period because they're traumatized."

Private carriers becomingpermanent

The province explained vaguely on Friday it offeredleave to the pilots "in considerationof staff members." Air ambulance service will continue this weekendwith private aircraft, which already does half of Lifeflight's travels.

The balance of tripsstill conducted with government-owned aircraft will be turned over to private carriers as early as this month, the government announcedon Thursday.The province sayschallenges in staffing the publicly-owned aircraft arebehind the move.

It isn't known if Lifeflight'spilotswill work with the new carriers.

"They're defeated, they know that they're going to be losing their jobs," Singh said of the nearly 10 pilots.

Despite months of uncertainty, pilots stayed with Lifeflightbecause they believe in going to remote communities and doing the work no one else is, Singh said.

"The Lifeflight pilots are the backbone of our program, where I would say the nurses are the heart," she said.

"Takingthem away from us in a way that I can only compare to an amputation was something that was just massively traumatic and upsetting."

The government is further privatizingits air ambulances, despitecalls from physicians who threatened to walkout if Lifeflight is handed to the private sector.

Most other provinces already haveprivately run air ambulance service, the Manitoba government said.

We really can't say if we'll ever recover anysense of normalcy after this-

The speculationof privatization has hung over Lifeflightsince the province began examining whether theair ambulance and general transport services are better off in private hands last summer.

While that process isongoing, Manitoba is moving ahead with a provincially-run service, usingentirely private aircraft.

No gaps in service: government

There are arrangementsto ensure there is no gap in service during the transition, Finance Minister Scott Fielding said in a statement Friday.

Singh said putting the pilots"on rest right now is responsible and we're supportive of that."

"The plan is that our service will resume on Monday, since nobody's been laid off yet, but based on the fact that this has been traumatic for everybody involved, we really can't say if we'll ever recover anysense of normalcy after this."

Lifeflight provides air ambulance services to remote communities and inter-provincial trips for things like organ transplants and cardiac services.

Patient safety at risk

Physicians have condemnedthe plan for months. They argued that privatization couldunderminepatient safety by putting pressure on crews to take risks for the sake of profit, and impairnorthern communities whose runways are not appropriate for private carriers since they don't meet national standards.

Those concerns haven't subsided, Singh said.

"Our future with this program is uncertain," she said. "We will make a decision as to what our participation is going to look like going forward."

Thestaffing challengethe province cites is believed to be the departure of three mechanics, by retirement and resignation. "I believe that was the straw that broke the camel's back," Singh said.

The service has struggled in recent months to secure enough staffing.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union argued on Thursday that employeescannot be blamed for looking elsewhere when their jobs are uncertain.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen has insisted in the past that privatization would not go forward if the new firm is not cost-effective and doesn't maintain existing safety standards.