Ornge marks 10-year anniversary of Ottawa air base

More than 5600 patients transported since 1999

TORONTO , Sept. 30 /CNW/ - Ornge is marking 10 years of providing high-quality transport medicine services from its dedicated air base in Ottawa .

Since the facility doors opened in September 1999 , the dedicated professionals on the Ornge team have answered more than 5,600 calls, or approximately 565 each year from the Ottawa air base. Many have involved caring for critically ill and injured patients from across Eastern Ontario during their transport to specialized medical centres.

Transport medicine paramedics, physicians, pilots and communications centre staff work together to provide patients with a very high level of care in the challenging mobile environment. Their skill often means the difference between life and death, and provides comfort to patients and their families during a time of great anxiety.

Ornge is dedicated to giving citizens of Ontario the freedom to live wherever they choose, said Dr. Chris Mazza , president and CEO of Ornge. "The 10th anniversary is an opportunity for us to get the word out to citizens in the Ottawa region and throughout Eastern Ontario that we are committed to providing you with the best care possible, and with the confidence to live your lives to the fullest, without worrying about access to health care," Dr. Mazza said.

    
    QUOTES

    "While I don't remember any of the crash itself, people who were present
at the scene that day have reported to me personally how amazed they were by
the calmness and competence exhibited by these paramedics. I'm so grateful to
them for transporting me to the hospital so quickly and I look forward to
being able to meet them in person to show my gratitude."
    -  Patient Hilary McNamee, Carleton University student airlifted after
       she and friends were struck from behind by a minivan while cycling in
       Kanata, Ontario in July, 2009.

    "In our opinion, these flight paramedics not only did their job
efficiently, but rather did it with compassion, care and went far above and
beyond the standards that are expected."
    -  Christine LeNeveu, mother of 17-year-old Alex LeNeveu, Petawawa,
       Ontario. Alex was transported to Children's Hospital of Eastern
       Ontario by Ornge with suspected spinal injuries after a motocross
       accident in August 2009.

    "As the head of two community hospitals, it is crucial that we have the
ability to move patients to the most appropriate clinical setting. I can
certainly attest to the value of Ornge's transport medicine services within
the healthcare system. For facilities like ours that primarily use the service
to send our patients to more specialized medical centres in Ottawa, Ornge is
essential in getting patients to the care they need, when they need it."
    -  Randy Penney, CEO of Renfrew Victoria Hospital and St. Francis
       Memorial Hospital in Renfrew County, Ontario.

    "I was a complete mess and was so worried for my son. The paramedics
explained everything so thoroughly to me. They could see I was upset and
worried and they put me completely at ease. I knew Macauley was in great hands
in their care."
    -  Diane Barron, mother of 10-year-old, Macauley Barron, Cobden, Ontario.
       At two years old, Macauley suffered seizures due to a viral infection,
       and was transported from Pembroke General Hospital to Children's
       Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
    

ABOUT ORNGE

Ornge operates from a number of bases across the province of Ontario and performs more than 18,000 admissions annually. It coordinates all aspects of Ontario's aero medical transport system, the new critical care land transport program, and the authorization of air and land ambulance transfers between hospitals. Ornge is dedicated to the provision of high quality patient care through innovative transport medicine.

For further information: Lori McLeod, Media Relations Officer, Ornge, [phone]