‘Our Simcoe County base will probably be distinctive in our system. It will likely be the bottom of operations for what we’re calling our particular mission plane,’ stated Ornge CEO
The Ontario authorities is spending $93 million to increase the Ornge Air Ambulance fleet, assist it rent 102 new front-line workers and construct a hangar on the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport.
Throughout a press convention on the airport between Barrie and Orillia Tuesday morning, Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s deputy premier and minister of well being, stated the funding is proof the Ontario authorities is making progress to help sooner, improved entry to the essential care Ontario residents want.
“This investment will expand the Ornge Air Ambulance fleet with the addition of two new larger, high-speed, fixed-wing aircraft which can complete double the number of long distance patient transports compared to our current smaller aircraft,” Jones stated.
“The new larger, faster aircraft will ensure Ornge Air Ambulance service can connect more patients to urgent care, especially those living in rural and remote communities.”
Jones stated Tuesday’s announcement builds on the provincial authorities’s earlier $118-million dedication to increase Ornge’s fixed-wing fleet with 4 extra planes and substitute of their current eight fixed-wing fleet.
“We are exceptionally excited by this,” stated Dr. Homer Tien, president and chief government officer of Ornge. “Round this time final yr we had been in Sudbury to announce the renewal and enlargement of our mounted wing fleet.
“Today’s announcement is a continuation of that, another significant step toward enhancing air ambulance and critical care transport services for the patients of Ontario,” he added.
Based on Tien, Ornge will probably be buying two Pilatus PC-24 jets, described as mild enterprise jets, produced by Pilatus Plane of Switzerland.
He stated the primary one will probably be delivered in December, 2027 and the second is scheduled for supply a short while later, in early 2028.
Supply of the jets, he added, ought to happen about three months after the hangar is constructed.
Tien stated the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport will grow to be Ornge’s fifteenth base of operation within the province. He stated the placement is properly suited to Ornge’s future plans.
“Our Simcoe County base will be unique in our system,” he stated. “It will be the base of operations for what we’re calling our special mission aircraft, which will enhance our fixed wing capability in Ontario even further and allow us to deliver on our mandate of health equity in Ontario.”
Tien stated there have been two key advantages to finding the ‘special mission aircraft’ at Lake Simcoe Regional Airport — house and placement.
“I think Oro-Medonte has the benefit of having a lot of space for our teams, our aircraft and for maintenance,” Tien stated. “Plenty of these sufferers are being transported to tertiary care centres within the GTA — the placement is ideal.
“We can get to the GTA, drop off the patients and then come back to our hangar space here with the full ability to do maintenance and so forth.”
Tien stated the brand new jets are extra versatile than what the service is presently utilizing, affording the group the chance to increase the PC-24’s utilization.
“We will be able to move supplies to the North and help with evacuations,” he stated.
Moreover, he stated, the brand new plane will help the ultra-long distance transportation of sufferers, permitting the northern fleet to remain of their base areas for shorter haul transports.
