Your air ambulance adventure: one way to Grand Manan
Good morning from the Fundy shore — the tide's turning, and so is New Brunswick. Let's get into it.
I'll tell you what, there are stories you hear at the City Market on a Saturday that make you shake your head, and then there are stories that make you wonder if anyone's actually steering the boat. This one, out of Grand Manan, falls squarely into the latter. Imagine getting airlifted off the island, all serious-like, to a hospital on the mainland for medical care, only to be left high and dry in a ferry parking lot hours later, trying to figure out how to get home. In your slippers, mind you. That’s what happened to a Grand Manan man, and his family is, understandably, hopping mad.
Now, Grand Manan isn't just a quick hop across the harbour, right? It's a proper ferry ride, an hour and a half at least from Blacks Harbour, often longer if the Bay of Fundy decides to get a bit feisty. The idea that someone, especially after needing an air ambulance, would be discharged and essentially abandoned to navigate that journey back alone, in whatever they happened to be wearing, is just… well, it’s a bit much. It speaks to a disconnect in the system, a sort of 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality once you're out the hospital doors.
### The Real Cost of 'Discharge'
This isn't just about one man's bad day, though I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It points to a bigger issue for folks living in our more isolated communities, particularly those on the islands.
* **Logistical Nightmare:** Grand Manan residents rely on that ferry. Missing a boat isn't just an inconvenience; it can mean waiting hours, or even overnight, for the next one. * **Vulnerable Patients:** Someone just discharged from hospital, especially after an emergency, needs support, not a solo mission to the ferry terminal. * **Community Impact:** These are small communities. News like this travels fast, and it erodes trust in the services that are supposed to be there for everyone, no matter how far away.
For us here in Saint John, or even up in Fredericton, it's a stark reminder of the unique challenges facing our neighbours along the Fundy coast. We might grumble about traffic on the Harbour Bridge or finding parking uptown, but for some, just getting home after a medical emergency is an epic. We need to do better by our island communities.
Caleb Duguay-Firth, MiTL Sports Desk, Saint John.
My buddy Pascal and the crew on the morning show are probably still talking about this one — give 'em a listen at mornings.live.