Helico Secours, a Canadian cooperative, will soon offer its services throughout Quebec. The cooperative will specialise in rescue and helicopter medical transport and will operate a fleet of aircraft dedicated to its mission. The cooperative formula is a known model in Quebec and Helico Secours is also supported by the Quebec Regional Development Cooperative for the implementation of the project.
The mission of Helico Secours is to offer equitable access to medical air and helicopter emergency transport to Quebecers, so that they can receive advanced healthcare and increase their chances of survival, regardless of whether they live in urban, rural or remote areas. “Wanting to help as many families as possible, not just those who enjoy the outdoors but ‘Mr and Mrs Everyone’ in order to bring them peace of mind and security, is our objective,” affirms François Rivard, founding member and aeromedical specialist in Quebec.
The cooperatives are formed around people, groups, partners and companies whose members are owners and aim at sustainable economic and social development for Quebec society. “We are controlled by the member organisations that use our products and services. It is the people who control our organisation, not the money. Each member has the same right to speak,” says Hakim Guiddir, founding member and helicopter pilot.
The Helico Secours cooperative puts people first and bases its operational decisions on patient benefit objectives; in this way it expects to stand out from its competition. “Being a cooperative means participating in the common good, with a more just and equitable service. The more of us who share the same values, the more we will contribute to saving lives in the community,” underlines Frédéric Lemoine, founding member and flight paramedic.
The cooperative has four categories of members: individual users, corporate users, workers and support.