# Ontario Air Ambulance (ORNGE) looking for Pilots and Tech's.



## Civvymedic (2 Oct 2010)

Ontarios Air Ambulance system (ORNGE) is looking for Pilots and Tech's.

  I don't work for them directly but certainly work with them often. They are North America's largest civillian air med system, are great to work with and have just purchased several great new birds.

  I noticed the job call tonight and thought I would reference the posting here. Ive spoken with many pilots over the years and many seem to be ex Military.

  The site is www.ornge.ca under career opportunities.

  Would be great to see some of you on the highway one day when I call for an on scene....

  Rob.


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## Civvymedic (3 Oct 2010)

They have purchased 10 Augusta Westland 139's. I don't know much about the type but I am told they are fantastic for Air med work.

  Would be interested in the opinions of those in the know.....


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## Good2Golf (3 Oct 2010)

AB139 is a nice enough aircraft.  Interestingly, I understand that Ornge is choosing not to renew Canadian Helicopters as the sub-contractor when the existing contract expires. Not sure what's going on there.

Cheers
G2G


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## mariomike (5 Oct 2010)

"Freeway Patrol: Air ambulance landing on the freeway": 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzYxz_uvtSI&feature=related
"A helicopter, really? How much is this going to cost?" 
"Let me ask you this, wouldn't you say your life is worth a mere $17,000?"

"Medical helicopter industry 'out of control,' conference told: The number of medical helicopters has more than doubled in the past decade":
http://www.ems1.com/air-medical-transport/articles/815233-Medical-helicopter-industry-out-of-control-conference-told/


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## rnkelly (5 Oct 2010)

That video was F'n funny.

Don't know much about the topic but interesting nonetheless.  As services like these, especially in the Health services, get contracted out to the private sector it's inevitable that questionable ethics will be used to increase profits or compete with other bidders.  Whether companies lobby for medical protocols, over-charge the government or under-bid a contract the loser is the customer (patient /tax-payer).  Contracting out these services makes sense at the time because it's expensive to sustain the capabilty in-house.  The government needs to train the crews and own/maintain/operate/replace the aircraft.  The problem lies when the government loses the capability, then the private sector can dictate what services they're going to offer and at what price.  I think it would end up being more expensive for the government in the long run.  Who knows though, maybe the private sector can provide the same service cheaper and still turn a profit, says something about government efficiencies.  Same issues with contracting out Search-and-Rescue vice Air Force SAR.  Maybe we shouldn't profit off some things but that's another discussion?



Sidenote: I was checking out this thread for job opportunities post military.  If they needed helo guys and payed well/good benefits I'd be all over it.  So yeah, I'm a hypocrite and would profit from the situation!


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## mariomike (5 Oct 2010)

rnkelly said:
			
		

> That video was F'n funny.
> 
> Sidenote: I was checking out this thread for job opportunities post military.  If they needed helo guys and payed well/good benefits I'd be all over it.  So yeah, I'm a hypocrite and would profit from the situation!



Glad you enjoyed it!
Here is another  (helicopter ) H-EMS video ( not quite as funny ):
http://www.click2houston.com/video/19380008/index.html
( The guy walked out of the ER an hour or so later. The bad news came in the mail. )


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## rnkelly (5 Oct 2010)

MarioMike,

In your position as a Toronto paramedic, are you of the opinion that Orng is going towards the american trend?  What are provinces' options?  Are you less than impressed?

As another pointed out, they cancelled CHCs contract which tells me Orng is planning on expanding so much that they feel they can do the helicopter operations better/cheaper on their own.  Impressive in itself, they might be biting off more than they can chew.


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## mariomike (6 Oct 2010)

rnkelly said:
			
		

> MarioMike,
> 
> In your position as a Toronto paramedic, are you of the opinion that Orng is going towards the american trend?  What are provinces' options?  Are you less than impressed?
> 
> As another pointed out, they cancelled CHCs contract which tells me Orng is planning on expanding so much that they feel they can do the helicopter operations better/cheaper on their own.  Impressive in itself, they might be biting off more than they can chew.



Thanks for asking, rnkelly. But, I am retired. I schlepped a lot of people on and off all types of aircraft. 
ORNGE is impressive compared to what used to be. 

What the animated cartoon illustrates is the huge amount of resources ( Fire and H-EMS ) that are now being sent to Motor Vehicle Collisions.  

If we request H-EMS at an emergency scene in Toronto, it must be during daylight hours. At night, they must land at licenced helipads, or airports. The patient must meet Field Trauma Triage FTT guidelines for transport to a Trauma Centre. The Paramedics must be in physical contact with the patient before requesting a helicopter. Severe traffic congestion, or an entrapment lasting longer than 30 minutes could justify requesting H-EMS. 
Under no circumstances should transport of a patient be delayed waiting for a helicopter.

I enjoyed watching the TV show "Trauma". A huge fuel tanker fireball ( looked about five stories tall! ) on the freeway with choppers buzzing around. There has been some amazing TV news lately of H-EMS action in Toronto filmed by news helicopters. 

I was reading a story about residents who live near a Buffalo, N.Y. Trauma Centre becoming sick and tired of the sudden increase in helicopter traffic. 

This is a video of Dr. Mazza President & CEO, Ornge speaking on the subject ( You must first click "Videos" ):
http://nsb.com/speakers/view/christopher-mazza

"In July 2005, Dr. Mazza led the integration of all parts of the air ambulance system into the not-for-profit Ornge - today the largest and most active transport medicine service in North America." 

"Canadian Helicopters says Ornge will not extend services agreement":
http://www.thestar.com/article/869071--canadian-helicopters-says-ornge-will-not-extend-services-agreement

"Myth Busting: Helicopters save lives":
http://www.thomcosafetynet.com/handouts/2007/BryanBledsoe.pdf
"The helicopter is used excessively for scene transport of trauma victims in our metropolitan trauma system."

"Please don't call them heroes":
http://christinenegroni.blogspot.com/2010/07/please-dont-call-them-heroes.html

H-EMS pilot worries:
http://christinenegroni.blogspot.com/2010/03/ems-helicopter-pilot-worries-if-they.html


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## mariomike (15 Oct 2010)

Civvymedic said:
			
		

> Ontarios Air Ambulance system (ORNGE) is looking for Pilots and Tech's.
> 
> I don't work for them directly but certainly work with them often. They are North America's largest civillian air med system, are great to work with and have just purchased several great new birds.
> 
> ...



Sounds like they are letting some of them go, Rob. This just in...
13 Oct, 2010
"There have been at least eight grieved terminations at Ornge in the past year out of a membership of 75 workers."
http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/October2010/13/c2216.html


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## Sheerin (2 Dec 2010)

From what i heard, Mazza (and his board) ordered the helicopters merely as a ploy to get CHC to lower their bid for the lease renewal.  It failed.  
ORNGE is having some serious financial problems, so much so that they're moving their hub from Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport to Hamilton due to cheaper lease rates.  

ORNGE does excel at what they do.  They have a great system in place and they are nothing like US style Air-EMS.    
Personally the only time i've had ORNGE attend a call was when I worked in Thunder Bay.  My partner and I were sent about 45 minutes south of TBay for a possible CVA.  We had ORNGE tiered on it in case the person was actually stroking out.  (Un)fortunately the person turned out to be a nut bar lol.  First and only time a partner has offered me $50 to take over patient care.  Since i've started working back in the GTA, i've haven't had an opportunity to request them yet.


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## mariomike (2 Dec 2010)

Sheerin said:
			
		

> ORNGE does excel at what they do.  They have a great system in place and they are nothing like US style Air-EMS.
> Personally the only time i've had ORNGE attend a call was when I worked in Thunder Bay.  My partner and I were sent about 45 minutes south of TBay for a possible CVA.  We had ORNGE tiered on it in case the person was actually stroking out.  (Un)fortunately the person turned out to be a nut bar lol.  First and only time a partner has offered me $50 to take over patient care.  Since i've started working back in the GTA, i've haven't had an opportunity to request them yet.



Welcome back to the GTA, Sheerin. Sort of like jumping from the frying pan back into the fire?  

Here is some video of ORNGE in action on the QEW near Erin Mills this year. 
"the helicopter's rotor clipped some wires":
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100326/qew_crash_100326/20100326/?hub=TorontoNewHome

ORNGE 2009 salary disclosure:
http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2010/otherp10.pdf
( page 32 )


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## acooper (2 Dec 2010)

I was personally very impressed with ORNGE - they transported my daughter, at one month of age (still 6 weeks preemie) from Windsor to London so she could get her heart checked out. Not sure what they did, but by the time they landed, her heartrate was a steady 150 and she was having NO PVCs - something we hadn't seen in DAYS in Windsor :-D The London docs thought the Windsor docs were a bit off their rockers, and sent her back (by ambulance this time, not ORNGE) to Windsor within 36 hours...


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