The province’s first purpose-built marine ambulance was officially commissioned Thursday, though the vessel has been in use since November.
The MV Island Responder has ramps for stretchers and wheelchairs, and about 100 square feet of cabin room for treatments.
The ambulance is servicing coastal and island communities around Chemainus, where it is based there and operated by Chemainus Water Taxi on a long-term contract with B.C. Emergency Health Services.
The boat went into service on Nov. 21 and has been used in 85 emergencies to date, said B.C. Emergency Health Services. Inclement weather last fall postponed the vessel’s commissioning until Thursday.
A spokeswoman for B.C. Emergency Health Services said the MV Responder primarily responds on Thetis and Penelakut islands, and can pick up patients in and around the Southern Gulf Islands.
The vessel was commissioned by Capt. Bob Mollet, operations manager for Chemainus Water Taxi, Penelakut First Nation elder and cultural adviser August Sylvester and Paul Valley, Emergency Health Services’ executive director of patient care delivery.
