GMR Activates More than 1,100 Personnel and 325 Ground and Air Assets in Response to Hurricane Laura

08.28.2020

(DALLAS) — Responding to a FEMA request for additional help in the communities devastated by a powerful Hurricane Laura, Global Medical Response (GMR) has sent more than 1,100 first responders, 300 ambulances, 15 helicopters, 10 airplanes and 131 paratransit units to Texas and Louisiana. The company sent crews and ground medical transportation assets earlier this week to South Texas to help with hurricane-related emergency medical services, under the auspices of FEMA. These two deployments are in response to the federal government's request to American Medical Response (AMR), GMR’s primary ground ambulance company, for EMS deployment for Hurricane Laura. During the deployments, GMR will dispatch crews to evacuate patients and run EMS calls in Louisiana and Texas communities.
 
"Hurricane Laura’s catastrophic 150 mph winds, heavy rains and storm surge have cut communities off from the medical care they desperately need,” said Ted Van Horne, Chief Operating Officer of Global Medical Response. “GMR teams and partnering EMS agencies from around the country are responding to this request for aid—we are proud of the dedicated First Responders who answer the call to provide care at a moment’s notice.” He added that COVID-19 safety precautions have compounded the complexity of the disaster response and GMR’s focus is ensuring the safety of patients and ground and air crews, making sure they have the equipment, support and resources they need to help our communities.
 
Van Horne added that during this unprecedented year, the company’s First Responders have battled multiple fronts, including natural disasters, tragic events and the pandemic. GMR teams were deployed by FEMA to South Texas last month to help with the COVID-19 outbreak in the region; that activation is currently scheduled through late September. The company has also responded to the California wildfires with emergency evacuations and medical treatment of firefighters.
 
“Responding to these catastrophic events does not take away from what our crews do day-in and day-out across the nation in the communities we serve,” Van Horne said. “For months, GMR First Responders, just like our colleagues in EMS around the country, have heroically responded daily  to emergency calls related to the COVID-19 pandemic in communities across the United States.”  He emphasized, “GMR has the expertise and ability to care for those suffering during a crisis and a pandemic, and we continue to provide compassionate care to those we serve in communities throughout the country.”
 
GMR deployed Air Evac Lifeteam and Med-Trans air crews and helicopters; the company also activated air crews and airplanes from Air Med International and Eagle Med. GMR also deployed ground crews from AMR and EMS providers around the country.
 
GMR’s National Command Center (NATCOM) in Dallas, Texas, was activated on January 28 when the pandemic started hitting the United States. When on active deployments, First Responder crews and medical transportation assets are supported by GMR’s Office of Emergency Management at NATCOM as well as onsite incident management teams in the Texas and Louisiana forward operating branches.
 
As the nation's largest provider of ground medical transportation and FEMA's prime emergency medical service response provider, AMR has a national agreement with FEMA to provide ground ambulance, air ambulance, paratransit services and non-ambulance EMS personnel to supplement the Federal and Military response to a disaster, an act of terrorism or any other public health emergency.
 
Van Horne said the crews are on various activations, which can change as the situation evolves. The crews will stay in the areas where they are deployed as long as needed. When the teams arrive at their assigned area, they will work under the guidance of FEMA, state and local EMS agencies.
 
Photos: Credit Global Medical Response.

Photo:  One of two GMR Operational Support Units sent to help with Hurricane Laura response.


Photo:  GMR’s National Command Center (NATCOM) in Dallas, TX. Teams remotely monitor deployed teams through communications systems; there is a dedicated communications/dispatch team for deployments.
 

Photo:  AMR ambulance responds during CA wildfires.
 
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About Global Medical Response
With more than 38,000 employees, Global Medical Response delivers compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services in the United States and around the world. GMR was formed by combining the industry leaders in air, ground, managed medical transportation, and community, industrial/specialty and wildland fire services. Each of our companies has a long history of proudly serving the communities where we live: American Medical Response (AMR), Rural Metro Fire, Air Evac Lifeteam, REACH Air Medical Services, Guardian Flight, Med-Trans Corporation and AirMed International. For additional information, visit us on LinkedIn or at www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com.
 
About American Medical Response (AMR)
American Medical Response, Inc., America’s leading provider of medical transportation, provides services in 40 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs, RNs and other professionals work together to transport more than 4.8 million patients nationwide each year in critical, emergency and non-emergency situations. AMR also provides fire services through Rural Metro Fire Department, www.ruralmetrofire.com. For more information about AMR, visit www.amr.net and follow American Medical Response on Facebook @AMR_Social on Twitter and Instagram.
 
About Air Evac Lifeteam
Air Evac Lifeteam is the nation’s leading provider of helicopter air ambulance services. Crews consisting of a pilot, a flight nurse and a flight paramedic, are on duty 7 days a week to respond to the scene of a medical emergency or transport patients between medical facilities. The company operates more than 140 air medical bases across 15 states. For more information, please visit Lifeteam.net. Air Evac Lifeteam is part of the Global Medical Response family of companies.
 
About AirMed International
AirMed International is one of the leading air medical transport companies in the world. With more than 18,000 missions in all 50 states and 150 countries on six continents, AirMed offers unparalleled medical care and bedside-to-bedside transportation with some of the most experienced air medical crews in the industry. AirMed owns and operates a fleet of fully customized and permanently medically configured jets, while employing its own dispatch, fight, and medical teams. This vertical integration ensures seamless service and world-class care around the clock. With state-of-the-art aircraft and experienced, respected medical teams, AirMed is able to deliver an uncompromised standard of care that has been recognized through accreditation from CAMTS and EURAMI.  AirMed also is a preferred operator for many of the top hospitals around the globe, as well as a contracted carrier for the U.S. Department of Defense.
For more info go to www.airmed.com. AirMed is part of the Global Medical Response family of companies.
 
About Med-Trans Corporation
Med-Trans is a leading national medical transport provider, focused on establishing professional relationships with leading health systems, medical centers and EMS agencies. Med-Trans offers a broad range of solutions to help its partners achieve successful patient outcomes. With relationships in 26 states and operations from more than 90 base locations, more than 1,200 Med-Trans team members make a difference everyday in the lives and communities they serve. For more info go to www.med-trans.net. Med-Trans is part of the Global Medical Response family of companies.