Contact:  W. Keith Simon, VP, PR, 1.800.259.3333; ksimon@acadian.com , 337.291.1584 office,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, September 2, 2005

LAFAYETTE--First Lady Laura Bush visited the Acadian Ambulance Service Dispatch and Control Center Friday to express appreciation for the company's leadership role in providing EMS services and evacuating patients from hospitals and nursing homes in storm- ravaged New Orleans. “She was very gracious,” said Richard Zuschlag, Acadian Chairman and CEO, “in expressing gratitude not only to our medics, but also to the thousands of other people who are working so hard to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina.”

Zuschlag said Mrs. Bush was in Lafayette to visit refugees from the storm who are being housed at the Cajundome. “We were deeply honored by her visit” he said, “and her kind words of appreciation for our ‘quick and efficient response' are extremely meaningful to all our employee-owners who have worked unceasingly throughout this disaster. She was equally enthusiastic about the work of volunteers, private and public emergency agencies and the military.”

 Those in support of Acadian air medevac missions are Air Logistics, Bell Helicopter, American Eurocopter, Shumpert Life Air Rescue, Scott White Medical Center, Metro Aviation, Air Evac (PHI), Southwest Texas Air Rescue, Children's Hospital of Houston, Angel Flight-Arkansas Children's Hospital, Miami Children's Life Flight, Air Heart – Destin Sacred Heart, Air Medevac-Atlanta, and Sikorski Helicopters.

Zuschlag said Mrs. Bush also asked what additional resources were needed. “I told her we needed a greater military presence — 2,000 more so that we can finish the extremely urgent job of combing the area for refugees who have still not been found,” Zuschlag said. “Our estimates are that there are some 18,000 still stranded, some with medical problems. The emphasis has been on New Orleans proper, and too little attention has been paid to such areas as Washington Parish. Slidell is still an unknown factor. Nursing homes remain a huge problem. We reached St. Regis Nursing Home only to find that all 60 patients were dead. There may be similar situations in other areas. With the increased military presence, we can make a full sweep in a single day. Otherwise, it will take three to four more days. That would add a rescue disaster to the storm and flood disaster.”

The good news, Zuschlag said, is that hospital evacuation in New Orleans has been completed. “That massive challenge has been met” he said. But there is still much more to be done. One of the problems discussed with the First Lady was that of communications. “We were fortunate in that our facilities were located on the west side of the hurricane and our basic system remained operable,” Zuschlag said. “We received a major boost when Sheriff Sid Hebert of New Iberia brought his Communications Center to our Gretna station, allowing us to establish full contact with the Lafayette Dispatch and Communications Center. Also, because we are in the 337 exchange, we were able to maintain telephone communications. The 504 and 225 exchanges had severe problems.”

Other agencies, Zuschlag said, were plagued by communications that were late,
fragmented and often misleading. “We were asked by the military to set up our communications personnel in conjunction with theirs at the Superdome and at the Belle Chase communications center.

Zuschlag said Acadian medics will get a much-needed break with the arrival of several teams of medics from various parts of the nation. “Ben Hinson, former president of the American Ambulance Association, is on the scene and is coordinating the work of the various teams, who are being housed by LSU and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. We have also seen a strong increase in the number of helicopters. We began with our fleet of 10 EMS helicopters and they have been joined by helicopters from Petroleum Helicopters, Air Logistics and other operators as well as by the military. There are now about 100 helicopters operating and doing an excellent job. Air rescue work is our only option until boats are in place.”

Everything is going well, Zuschlag said. “The increased military presence makes a big difference.”

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, Jr., who accompanied the First Lady on her tour of the Cajundome, said he urged her “to see first hand the outstanding work being done by Acadian Ambulance Service.” In light of problems in other communities, Boustany said, “I felt it was important that she see the spirit of cooperation that exists at every level in Lafayette — from the office of City-Parish President Joey Durel, to people in the state legislature such as Rep. Mike Michot, to the Washington delegation.”

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