Medic Shortage

Contact: W. Keith Simon, VP, PR, 337.291.3347

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, September 21, 2005

Chairman and CEO Richard Zuschlag is asking all displaced emergency workers to help get Acadian Ambulance through a crisis of needing 200 temporary medics. “ Because of the displaced New Orleans residents that have relocated to other areas in the state, we are receiving approximately 100 more emergencies per day,” Zuschlag said. “This is something we did not anticipate. We have leased 10 more ambulances and are trying to do anything we can to hire up to 200 health care workers in the next 14 days.”

There were more than 200 Acadian Ambulance medics that were affected in the New Orleans area and in Mississippi due to Hurricane Katrina. More than 50 have relocated to other states and others are still undecided as what they will do, according to Zuschlag.

Acadian is prepared to hire any emergency worker such as a nurse, LPN, paramedic or EMT on temporary basis to help provide them work. “Many workers may be here on a short-term basis, and we are prepared to hire them immediately,” said Zuschlag. “We know that they may be going back home in 30 to 60 days, but that would still help get us through this crisis.”

Before the storm hit, Acadian ran approximately 150 ambulances in the 33 Louisiana parish service area. Since the storm this has increased to 178 ambulances. Each unit requires a staff of eight medics for a 24-hour period. The Acadian medics have been working a massive amount of overtime since the storm.

Traffic jams, especially in Baton Rouge, where the population doubled overnight, are causing other problems. Helicopters are making trips that ordinarily would use ambulances. This overload is also causing Acadian to delay their responses by as much as 24 hours for non-emergency transfers. The extra 200 medics will help Acadian get back to its efficiency and reduce the number of hours it medics are having to work at the present time, Zuschlag said.

Medics are needed across the state from the Mississippi line to the Texas line as far north as Alexandria. Acadian is also reaching out to other states trying to contract with medics and nurses to work for 14 to 30 days at a time. Acadian is offering $17 to $22 dollars per hour depending on whether they are an EMT or paramedic or registered nurse. Those interested can call the company's 800 number, 1.800.259.3333, or they can apply online.

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