The Ornge Foundation is pleased to receive a donation of over $343,000 from Pilatus, the world’s leading manufacturer of single-engine turboprop aircraft. This generous donation will be used in Ornge’s Academy of Transport Medicine (ATM) to support the simulation program.

The ATM was established in 2007 and provides paramedical education programs based on an innovative and flexible model that integrates many different types of learning and area of knowledge into a single, unified program. Paramedics are trained on state-of-the-art human patient simulators – life-like models that can mimic human characteristics. The donation from Pilatus will support various areas of the simulation program.

“The intense and extensive training done through the Academy of Transport Medicine at Ornge has developed paramedics who are among the most highly trained and skilled in the world,” said Dr. Christopher Mazza, Ornge President and CEO. “This generous gift from Pilatus will help to ensure our front-line staff has the critical knowledge and theoretical training to provide the highest level of care to the patients of Ontario.”

Ornge’s current simulation program includes static and mobile simulators in adult and child models. The mobile simulation trailer will simulate the working environments of Ornge’s helicopter, airplane, and land ambulance interiors.   This donation will allow the ATM to strengthen their programming, helping to improve paramedic training and in return enhance patient care.

“The valuable nature of training that simulators provide is imperative and essential,” said Thomas Bosshard, President and CEO of Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd. “We are very impressed with Ornge’s constant efforts to be as up-to-date as possible with the latest medical technologies in order to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

The Ornge Foundation was established in 2008 as a charity to support and promote improvements made by Ornge in Ontario’s transport medicine service. Its work includes raising funds to purchase medical equipment for aircraft and land vehicles, educating paramedics and advancing research efforts needed to care for and improve the treatment of Ornge patients.

ABOUT ORNGE
Ornge is Canada’s leading innovator in the emerging field of transport medicine.  The organization operates from a number of bases across the province of Ontario and performs approximately 20,000 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.