SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - With the planned closure of Edmonton's City centre airport, Yellowknife is looking at its options for its Alberta-bound medevacs.

Yellowknife politicians are looking for alternate landing destinations for medevacs now that Edmonton's city council has ordered the city's downtown airport to be closed. - photo courtesy of Edmonton International Airport

Mayor Gord Van Tighem and Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins told Yellowknifer they'd heard other Alberta cities were being looked at as possible alternatives to flying to Edmonton International Airport and having to make an estimated 30-minute commute to Royal Alexandra Hospital.

"Calgary, depending on what flight path you take, is about 12 minutes farther than Edmonton," said Van Tighem.

According to Google maps, the distance by road between Calgary International Airport and Foothills Medical Centre, where Alberta Health Services spokesperson Don Stewart said most emergency trauma cases are sent to, is 20.3 km. The distance by road between Edmonton International Airport and Royal Alexandra Hospital is 33.2 km. The distance by road between the city centre airport in Edmonton and the hospital is 2.6 km.

Stewart said Alberta Health Services, which is "working with Edmonton Airports to develop this transition plan," is not considering sending medevacs to locations other than Edmonton International Airport.

Instead, it is looking to base an emergency air and ground ambulance facility at the airport so transportation for patients is always on-hand.

Hawkins said he talked with Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and the City of Edmonton is looking at setting up a triage facility at the airport, which is a service where medical professionals can sort the patients that come through on the basis of the severity of their ailments, and decide the best course of action to be taken.

"He didn't deny that this type of change has an impact on the residents of the NWT," said Hawkins.

"We're not trying to be unreasonable, but we need a solution that works for us."

Hawkins also said Mandel, if re-elected in Edmonton's Oct. 18 election, will come to Yellowknife and discuss the airport closure with the Chamber of Commerce.

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