TORONTO, May 20, 2012 /CNW/ - As one of the many organizations that provides emergency medical services, Ornge is pleased to honour all EMS members - not only those in Ontario but our EMS partners across Canada, and the United States.
This year's theme is "More Than a Job - A Calling" and Ornge would like to thank all the dedicated men and women who have chosen a career in emergency medical services to ensure that those who are critically ill or injured receive the care they need, wherever they need it. Paramedics, doctors, nurses, and those who support them, work long hours, in varying conditions, whether in urban centres or the most remote areas.
"Ornge is just one part of the province's network of emergency medical services and we work closely with our EMS partners to serve the people of this province," said Ron McKerlie, Interim President and CEO. "I am constantly amazed at the dedication of our EMS staff, and they deserve our recognition and thanks - not only during EMS Week - but every day, all year."
Ornge works closely with hospitals and local Emergency Medical Services to ensure that those who need urgent medical transport are cared for and brought to the facilities that can give them the treatment they need. Ornge operates rotor, fixed wing and land ambulances as part of its medical transport network. In addition, Ornge has a specialized paediatric transport team providing critical care medical services by land or air to the most vulnerable patients.
"I am proud to work for an organization that works hard every day to provide the best possible air ambulance and medical transport services to the people of Ontario," said McKerlie. "I would like to thank all those at Ornge who do their best day in and day out to provide this critical service."
"I would like to thank our emergency medical staff at Ornge, and all EMS staff, for their commitment to providing emergency care to those who need it, often under difficult circumstances," said Ian W. Delaney, Chair of Ornge's Board of Directors. "EMS Week is an excellent opportunity to remind us of the importance of EMS and the role they play, every day, in the lives of Ontarians."
BACKGROUNDER
Ornge - The Organization
Overview:
A key part of Ontario's medical system, Ornge provides sophisticated medical transport for critically ill and injured patients, both in the air and on the ground. Ornge services the entire province, which spans 1,076,395 km² in total area - the size of France, Spain and the Netherlands combined. In this environment, it is little wonder Ornge is one of the largest air ambulance organizations in North America.
Ornge has more than 500 employees, including: paramedics, paediatric nurses, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, physicians, flight planners, communications officers, educators, researchers and corporate support staff.
It currently owns and operates both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. In addition, Ornge has access to a fleet of aircraft operating out of a number of bases across Ontario through our valued Standing Agreement carriers. Ornge also operates a critical care inter-facility land transport program in Ottawa, Peterborough and Markham, including a dedicated paediatric transport team operating out of the Ornge Markham base.
Ornge Operations:
A not-for-profit, charitable organization, Ornge is responsible for a number of air ambulance operations including the contracting of flight service providers, medical oversight of all transport medicine paramedics, and screening all transfers of patients between hospitals in Ontario.
Ornge's helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and land vehicles have the capabilities of a mobile hospital, and handle more than 19,000 patient transports every year. The majority are transfers between medical facilities, allowing the patient to access a higher level of care. Ornge also responds to 'scene calls', where transport medicine paramedics respond to scenes of accidents or injuries: for example, traffic accidents.
Ornge is also the primary provider of organ transport services by air for Ontario-based organ donation surgical recovery teams and is responsible for the rapid transport of recovered organs and the medical teams to transplant centres throughout Ontario.
The coordination of front-line Ornge services is the responsibility of the Ornge Communications Centre (the OCC). The OCC provides communication services as defined in the Ambulance Act. When requested by local land ambulance dispatch centres, an Ornge helicopter will be deployed to respond to an accident or travel to a remote area, if the patient meets the established guidelines for transport.
On-board medical care is made possible by a system of paramedics and paediatric nurses with specialized training to care for acute patients in the aero-medical environment. Through a multi-system communication network, paramedics have access to transport medicine physicians on the ground for consultation and to receive medical orders.
History of Ornge:
Established in 1977, Ontario was the first Canadian province to provide a helicopter-based aero-medical system to transport critically ill patients from on scene to hospital. That same year, the Ministry of Health developed and implemented a training system for flight paramedics who performed advanced life support and controlled medical acts during air transport.
In 2004, Ornge was incorporated under the name "Ontario Air Ambulance Services Co."
In July 2005 the Government of Ontario announced the appointment of Ontario Air Ambulance Services Corporation as the sole provider of Ontario's air ambulance services.
The organization changed its name to Ornge in 2006.
In January 2012, a new, volunteer Board of Directors was appointed and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care appointed a new Interim President and CEO, Ron McKerlie to lead Ornge.
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