Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3
Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting; Workload; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Airspace Structure; Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
I was listening to radar north from the Local control position due to weather surrounding the airport and seeing a medevac holding. There were 2 medevacs at the same time one with a heart transplant patient on-board (Aircraft X) and the other with the heart transplant team (Aircraft Y). Restricted Areas were hot Surface to 20;000 feet and the only clear air weather  was in the Restricted Areas. I heard the Radar Controller coordinating with Center repeatedly about getting a hold of range control to try to get Aircraft Y through so they didn't have to divert because the ambulance was already waiting at ZZZ. Center stated good luck coordinating with range control because they had been trying and range control was refusing to allow the Medevac through. Aircraft X was trapped north of the line of weather and unable to get to ZZZ in a timely manner. The unwillingness of range control to stop ground training to allow the Medevacs through during 2 life critical flights caused unnecessary delay to the heart transplant patient and transplant team.Procedures should be put in place for coordination to recall the airspace due to weather; emergencies; or operational need. I've been numerous other locations where the above conditions warranted recall of Special Use Airspace for safety of flight however here there is extreme disparity between the Army's use of the Restricted Airspace and the FAA's need/ability to recall said airspace.
A Tower Local Controller who was monitoring the Radar Controller reported the Radar Controller could not get approval from Special Use Airspace range controllers for a medevac flight to fly through their airspace to avoid weather causing a delay for the time critical medevac aircraft.