A motorist died Wednesday after the troubled ORNGE air ambulance service couldn’t get a helicopter and paramedics to a serious crash between a cube van and two dump trucks in York Region.Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees said the accident raises fresh questions about ORNGE, now under the microscope over concerns about patient safety and questionable business dealings now under a police probe.
“The people of Ontario are counting on our air ambulance service to be there when an emergency happens,” Klees told reporters after raising the incident in the legislature’s daily question period.
“You can’t arrange an emergency to coincide with the staffing at ORNGE.”
The unidentified driver of the van was rushed to hospital by land ambulance but he later died. The crash left a tangled mess on Bloomington Rd. and witnesses told CP24 that the impact made the ground shake.
The air ambulance service released a statement saying it has two helicopters at its Toronto base, with one on another call Wednesday morning and the other starting 1.5 hours late after working overtime on Tuesday. The crew had to obey rules on time off between shifts.
“In order to comply with Transport Canada regulations, a later start time was required,” the statement said.
The incident put Health Minister Deb Matthews on the defensive yet again, just four months after a new team of executives took over at ORNGE, where former chief executive Dr. Chris Mazza earned $1.4 million a year before his departure.
“For months, we’ve been warning the minister about the staffing policies at ORNGE that leave bases understaffed and incapable of responding to emergency calls,” Klees said, citing investigations into 13 such incidents.
“I ask the minister to listen to this transcript of a call that was monitored on the emergency frequency this morning: ‘One person trapped. Extrication underway. EMS on scene asking for air ambulance. Dispatch telling them they are unavailable until after 7:15 due to down staffing.’”
Matthews said she has asked top officials at ORNGE to “look closely” at what happened Wednesday but added she is aware there is a shortage of pilots trained to fly the AgustaWestland helicopters used as air ambulances.
“I think it’s important we let that investigation unfold. I actually would like to wait until we have all the facts…until I pass comment on it,” she told reporters.
“The new leadership at ORNGE acknowledges that there are issues on staffing, with getting pilots . . . What I can tell you is that ORNGE is making significant improvements but an incident like this morning reminds us that we have to be ever vigilant, that we have to learn from every incident that happens.”
That did not satisfy her critics at Queen’s Park, where legislative committee hearings into the troubles at ORNGE continued Wednesday.
“We do expect our air ambulance system to be available when it’s needed,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, noting it’s difficult to know if the crash victim’s death was a result of the air ambulance snag.
“We should not be left with that lingering question at this point as to whether or not the lack of ability to provide the service had a factor in the death . . . that’s the concern all Ontarians have,” Horwath added.
“The health minister needs to take some responsibility for an air ambulance system that’s been under such heavy scrutiny and yet continues to not deliver.”
Original Article
Source: star
Author: Rob Ferguson
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