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Update on Acadian's Response to Hurricane Ivan

Contact: W. Keith Simon, VP, PR & Marketing, 1.800.259.3333; ksimon@acadian.com
337.291.1584 office, 337.278.0114 mobile

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
September 15, 2004, 9:30a.m.

The evacuations continue to rise as Ivan moves closer to shore. The 190 Acadian Ambulance Service evacuations of patients continued throughout the day yesterday and into the night from the New Orleans area. Patients were transported by Acadian’s ambulances, the Air Med Fleet of 7 emergency helicopters and 2 medically-configured airplanes to destinations as far away as Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma and Lake Charles. Of the 190 evacuations, 160 stretcher bound patients were from medical facilities and 30 were from individual residences.

“We continue to work around the clock with the Office of Emergency Preparedness and local law enforcement agencies,” said Chairman & CEO Richard Zuschlag. “We handled 190 evacuations in less than 24 hours and are prepared for more evacuations today.”

Acadian’s "Hurricane Plan" has been in effect since Monday of this week when the company met with field operations, communications personnel, fleet maintenance, and medical supply to put into place those directives. To meet the extensive evacuation needs, 100 medics, staffing 50 ambulances have joined the normal daily contingent of 160 on-duty ambulances in the areas affected by the storm. Acadian’s off-duty medics, and contract paramedics who were evacuated from oil rigs due to the storm, are standing by and will be used on an as-needed basis, Zuschlag said.

We will respond to emergency calls as long as the winds are less than 50mph, which according to the Office of Emergency Preparedness is considered the maximum velocity at which patients can be safely transported.

Those unaffected by the storm can be assured that Acadian’s operations for their area will not be diminished. Due to our regional operations, we have access to additional medics on an as-needed basis without affecting the level of service expected in our service area.

Persons facing life or death situations should dial 911. Acadian Ambulance can be reached for non-emergency medical assistance by calling 511 direct.

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