Ornge

Ornge AgustaWestland AW139 at the Ottawa base, 3 June 2011

An early production Sikorsky S-76A owned by Canadian Helicopters and used in the Ontario air ambulance role in August 2007. The aircraft is in an earlier Ontario Air Ambulance paint scheme

Ornge (formerly Ontario Air Ambulance) is the air ambulance service for the province of Ontario and for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Ontario). The provision of ambulance services in Ontario is governed by the Ambulance Act.^{[citation needed]}

Under the Act, the Minister of Health and Long Term Care must ensure “the existence throughout Ontario of a balanced and integrated system of ambulance services and communication services used in dispatching ambulances.”^{[citation needed]}

The name Ornge is not an acronym, but is based on the colour orange of its aircraft and land ambulances. According to the organization, "the "a" was removed from the name, partly to make people stop and take a second look, and also so that it could be trademarked."

History

The air ambulance program was established in 1977 to serve remote areas, primarily in Northern Ontario, that are inaccessible to land ambulances or that land ambulances would take too long to reach. Ontario was the first Canadian province to provide a helicopter-based air ambulance system to transport critically ill patients to hospital. Air ambulances are also used to transport medical teams and organs for transplant. A large part of the air ambulance service is involved in serving aboriginal communities, of which there are approximately 140, in Northern Ontario.^{[citation needed]}

The Ministry operated an air ambulance dispatch centre located in Toronto, until Ornge took over and MATC became the Ornge Communications Centre.^{[citation needed]}

Today, the air ambulance program has become an integral component of the larger emergency health system in communities across the province.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011 Ornge was involved in a controversy regarding compensation for its upper executives, including President and CEO Chris Mazza. Mazza went on an indefinite medical leave on 22 December 2011 at the height of the scandal. The Toronto Star uncovered that Mazza was receiving $1.4 million a year while remaining off the "sunshine list" of public employees earning over $100,000. That salary makes him the highest publicly-paid official in the province. Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews stated that Mazza’s salary was "outrageous, shocking and unacceptable". Ornge Global, Ornge's for-profit division, also received $6.7 million in a contract from Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, which is also part of the audit by the provincial auditor general.

As the scandal spread on 24 January 2012 Ornge fired 18 manangers and closed the J Smarts charity program. The next day a new board of directors was named, that included former provincial cabinet minister Charles Harnick. A complete forensic audit was also started. On 2 February 2012 Ornge President and CEO Chris Mazza was fired without compensation, as was the chief operating officer of ORNGE Global, Maria Renzella. ORNGE Global GP Inc. and ORNGE Global Holdings LP were placed in bankruptcy under the oversight of a trustee. This move bankruptcy does not affect the provincial air ambulance service, which is opereted separately.

On 2 February 2012, the Ontario Health Minister, Deb Mathews, stated, "Today, the for-profit ORNGE Global GP Inc. and ORNGE Global Holdings LP went into receivership, essentially ending their existence. As a result, Dr. Chris Mazza, president and CEO, and Maria Renzella, chief operating officer, have been terminated and ORNGE has advised us that no severance has been offered. These are vitally important and necessary steps needed to restore the confidence of Ontarians in the leadership team responsible for Ontario’s air ambulance service. The forensic audit continues and we look forward to their findings and the auditor general’s value-for-money audit. We continue to seek and support the changes at ORNGE and continue to work with the new leadership as they strengthen Ontario’s air ambulance service."

On 16 February 2012 Ornge formally became the subject of an Ontario Provincial Police investigation for "financial irregularities". Neither the police, Mathews nor Ornge would provide details about the nature the investigation. The minister indicated it was as a result of the preliminary findings of the forensic auditors in examining the organization's financial records. Aside from the police investigation there are two other investigations underway. The Ministry of Health's emergency health services branch is carrying out an investigation of 13 incidents related to air ambulance operations, three of which involve the deaths of patients. Also provincial Auditor General Jim McCarter is investigating Ornge and will present his final report in March 2012.

On 17 February 2012, amidst calls for her resignation from the opposition, Ontario Health Minister, Deb Mathews announced that the government would greatly tighten control over Ornge, including new legislation and a new performance agreement to increase oversight and limit what it can do without government approval, including preventing the sale of assets, such as helicopters and the taking on of debt.

Aircraft Fleet

An S-76A owned by Canadian Helicopters and flown under contract with Ornge in May 2008.

An Ornge Sikorsky S-76A C-GIMT (in old livery) preparing to receive a patient at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport.

An Ornge Sikorsky S-76A lifting off at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport.

An Ornge Sikorsky S-76A in old livery sitting on the helipad at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

On August 28, 2008, Ornge announced the purchase of ten new AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters to replace their fleet of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters, to be delivered over a period of two years beginning in late 2010. The S-76 helicopters were previously owned and operated by Canadian Helicopters, but are now owned by Ornge and operated by Canadian Helicopters. The S-76 helicopters will be serviced by Canadian Helicopters until April 2012.

Helicopters

Sikorsky S-76s located at:

• Thunder Bay International Airport (1)
• Moosonee Airport (1)
• Kenora Airport (1)

AgustaWestland AW139 located at:

• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (2) - 1 moving to John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in 2012, 1 moving to Oshawa Airport
• Ottawa International Airport (1)- Currently operating with an AW 139 Helicopter
• Sudbury Airport (1) - Currently operating with the AW139
• London International Airport (1)- Currently operating with the AW 139

From the first long weekend of the summer to Labour Day, one Toronto crew was relocated and based out of Muskoka Airport for the increased number of trauma calls in cottage country during this period. This practice stopped after the summer of 2010.

Fixed-wing aircraft

As of the end of 2009, Ornge has begun operating its own fleet of Pilatus PC-12NG fixed-wing aircraft from its bases in:

• Thunder Bay

• Sioux Lookout

• Timmins

Standing agreement aircraft

Additional aircraft are available under the Standing Agreement (as and when required) contract with other operators:

• Canadian Flyers International operating a Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain from the Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport and Piper PA-31 Navajo from Dryden, Ontario

• Wabusk Air operating a Beechcraft A100 King Air from Moosonee Airport

• Thunder Airlines - Beechcraft A100 King Air; Cessna 208B Grand Caravan; and Mitsubishi MU-2 from Thunder Bay International Airport, Sudbury Airport and Timmins/Victor M. Power Airport

• Flightexec at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport and London International Airport

• SkyCare Air Ambulance operating two Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner aircraft at Sioux Lookout Airport.

• Air Bravo operating Pilatus PC-12 aircraft out of Timmins, Sioux Lookout, Elliot Lake, and Toronto City Centre.

Aircraft inventory

Aircraft	Country of Manufacture	Type	In Service	Notes
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	multi-purpose medium-size commercial helicopter	10	On order for delivery in late 2010
Sikorsky S-76	United States	multi-purpose medium-size commercial helicopter	12	contract with Canadian Helicopters.
Pilatus PC-12	Switzerland	single engine turboprop	10	owned and operated by Ornge
Mitsubishi MU-2	Japan	twin engine turboprop	4	operated by Thunder Airlines
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner	United States	twin engine turboprop	2	owned and operated by SkyCare Air Ambulance

Labour Relations

Ornge paramedics are represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Local 2002. Their second collective agreement was ratified in December 2009 and is in force until October 31, 2012.

References

• Flight Exec
• Thunder Airlines
• Ornge
• Air Ambulance
• Ontario Paramedic Association
• Voyageur Airways
• Canadian Helicopters
• Aboriginal Communities in Ontario

External links

Media related to Ornge at Wikimedia Commons

• Ornge