GMR Deploys Additional Teams to States Hit Hard by COVID-19 Delta Variant
8.28.2021
The Company's ground division (American Medical Response) and sub-contracted network providers are now serving in five states.
The COVID-19 Delta variant continues to overwhelm hospitals and EMS agencies across the country, and Global Medical Response (GMR) has deployed additional paramedics, EMTs and support personnel to provide much-needed help in Mississippi, Oregon and Kentucky. Earlier this month, GMR sent dozens of ambulances and medical and command staff personnel from its ground division – American Medical Response (AMR) – in addition to participating network providers to hard-hit communities in Missouri and Louisiana. The deployments are in response to a FEMA request to help the federal government and local emergency personnel respond to record surges in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
“We are proud to help in some of the nation’s hardest hit states during this devastating pandemic,” said GMR Chief Operating Officer Ted Van Horne. “Our mission is to provide care at a moment’s notice, and one way we do that is to support FEMA by providing frontline caregivers to help EMS agencies and hospitals impacted by an influx of COVID-19 patients.”
GMR is currently on deployments in five states. For these state deployments, crews are on month-long activations, and that can change as the situation evolves. Deployed teams will stay in the areas as long as needed. When they arrive at their assigned destinations, the caregivers will be working under the guidance of FEMA, state, and local EMS agencies.
Van Horne added that the deployments do not affect GMR’s or the other EMS providers’ ability to meet the needs of patients in home communities. GMR air and ground teams continue to provide emergency and non-emergency transports to tens of thousands of patients nationwide.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, GMR teams have responded to the nation’s call for help,” Van Horne said. He explained that under the U.S. Government’s direction, GMR teams conducted COVID screenings at airports around the country, and the company supported local, state and national deployments on large and small scales. He added that under FEMA’s direction, GMR teams were activated in multiple areas around the country for months at a time, including significant deployments in New York and New Jersey.
AMR has a national agreement with FEMA to provide ground ambulance, air ambulance, paratransit services and non-ambulance EMS personnel to supplement federal and military response to a disaster, act of terrorism or other public health emergency.
GMR teams prepare for emergency responses around the country with year-round training exercises, and storing equipment and vehicles in strategic locations. This preparation enables the company to respond quickly, usually within 36-48 hours’ notice.
“We are proud to help in some of the nation’s hardest hit states during this devastating pandemic,” said GMR Chief Operating Officer Ted Van Horne. “Our mission is to provide care at a moment’s notice, and one way we do that is to support FEMA by providing frontline caregivers to help EMS agencies and hospitals impacted by an influx of COVID-19 patients.”
GMR is currently on deployments in five states. For these state deployments, crews are on month-long activations, and that can change as the situation evolves. Deployed teams will stay in the areas as long as needed. When they arrive at their assigned destinations, the caregivers will be working under the guidance of FEMA, state, and local EMS agencies.
Van Horne added that the deployments do not affect GMR’s or the other EMS providers’ ability to meet the needs of patients in home communities. GMR air and ground teams continue to provide emergency and non-emergency transports to tens of thousands of patients nationwide.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, GMR teams have responded to the nation’s call for help,” Van Horne said. He explained that under the U.S. Government’s direction, GMR teams conducted COVID screenings at airports around the country, and the company supported local, state and national deployments on large and small scales. He added that under FEMA’s direction, GMR teams were activated in multiple areas around the country for months at a time, including significant deployments in New York and New Jersey.
AMR has a national agreement with FEMA to provide ground ambulance, air ambulance, paratransit services and non-ambulance EMS personnel to supplement federal and military response to a disaster, act of terrorism or other public health emergency.
GMR teams prepare for emergency responses around the country with year-round training exercises, and storing equipment and vehicles in strategic locations. This preparation enables the company to respond quickly, usually within 36-48 hours’ notice.
