Acadian Air Med 1 base named in honor of air ambulance leader

Acadian Companies leadership, employees, associates and Babineaux family members gathered at Acadian Air Med’s base in Lafayette, Louisiana, to honor vice president of air services Erroll Babineaux and his invaluable contributions to the company. The base has been dedicated to Babineaux and will be known as the Erroll C. Babineaux Air Med 1 Base.

A plaque was unveiled during the ceremony, which reads, “In recognition of Erroll Babineaux’s tireless effort and contribution to creating, developing and fostering Acadian’s air ambulance program. His foresight and dedication to Acadian Air Med has saved, and continues to save, countless lives.”

“Erroll’s long hours and hardworking, can-do attitude have helped make this company what it is today,” said Acadian Companies chairman & CEO Richard Zuschlag. “Of all the things he has done, his legacy will be his contributions to the air ambulance industry in Louisiana. Anytime an air ambulance saves someone’s life, I credit Erroll for getting the program started.”

Babineaux recently retired after more than 45 years of service with the company. He has worked as an ambulance driver, paramedic, supervisor, communications specialist and district manager of Iberia, St. Martin, Vermilion and St. Mary Parishes. He became Acadian’s first commercial pilot in 1979 and worked with Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. to design and assist in building the first air ambulance helicopter used in Louisiana, which became FAA-certified. Acadian Air Med began service in 1981.

Since then, Acadian Air Med has expanded to include 11 bases of operation in Louisiana and Texas and a fixed-wing division, Executive Aircraft Charter Service.

Additionally, Babineaux provides marketing, public relations and governmental relations in many of the rural parishes that Acadian serves. He maintains relationships with police jury associations and municipal associations, along with members of the state legislature, state police and fire departments.

He was born and raised in New Iberia, Louisiana, where he attended Catholic High School. He attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Acadian Air Med was founded in 1981 and currently operates a fleet of 12 medically configured helicopters and seven fixed-wing aircraft from bases strategically located throughout Louisiana and Southeast Texas. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the gold standard for air ambulance services in the United States.