AMR Thankful to Have Served Community for Over 110 Years
11.25.2024
American Medical Response celebrates 110 years of service to the Portland metro area.
In this season of Thanksgiving, American Medical Response (AMR), is full of gratitude for the opportunity to provide emergency medical services to the communities of Multnomah and Clackamas counties and Southwest Washington for the past 110 years.
AMR began providing care throughout the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area as Oregon Ambulance in 1913, founded by Ben Buck and Frank Shepherd. In 1924, the company was renamed Buck Ambulance Service and ultimately became AMR in 1993. While the name has changed over the years, the ideals have always remained the same – providing care to the community at a moment’s notice.
“We are so grateful to the citizens of Multnomah and Clackamas counties and Southwest Washington for allowing us the privilege of providing them care in their time of need for more than a century,” said Rob McDonald, regional director for AMR Oregon. “We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional care for these communities while bringing new and innovative practices to our patients and partners in healthcare.”
Milestones along the way have laid the foundation for high-quality emergency medical care throughout the operations. In 1942 Buck Ambulance worked with Kaiser Shipyard to become the first ambulance company in the nation to carry oxygen and, in 1969, was the first in the country to save a cardiac arrest patient. The company was among the first in the nation to be recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) in 1993.
Over the years, AMR’s commitment to healthcare has expanded to meet the needs of the communities it serves. The Reach and Treat Team was developed in 1988 to provide advanced life support in wilderness environments and AMR’s River Rescue Program launched in 1999 to provide lifeguards at Glenn Otto and High Rocks parks, both high drowning-mortality locations along the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers.
Today, AMR Multnomah, AMR Clackamas and AMR Southwest Washington employ over 800 full-time and part-time first responders from the surrounding areas. In addition to providing high-quality emergency medical care, the teams promote diversity through an annual diversity scholarship program, provide a certified therapy dog for first responders and community-wellness support, a Nurse Navigation program run in partnership with Clark County, a wildland fire team to support regional wildland fire-fighting efforts, an honor guard available for fallen EMS partners and a robust peer-support team to help with first responder well-being.
“It is an honor to have earned and maintained the community’s trust for over a century,” added Rocco Roncarati, regional director for AMR Southwest Washington. “We are proud of the service we have provided our neighbors, both through emergency medicine and in the programs and innovations we have introduced over the years to enrich these communities where we live and work.”
AMR began providing care throughout the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area as Oregon Ambulance in 1913, founded by Ben Buck and Frank Shepherd. In 1924, the company was renamed Buck Ambulance Service and ultimately became AMR in 1993. While the name has changed over the years, the ideals have always remained the same – providing care to the community at a moment’s notice.
“We are so grateful to the citizens of Multnomah and Clackamas counties and Southwest Washington for allowing us the privilege of providing them care in their time of need for more than a century,” said Rob McDonald, regional director for AMR Oregon. “We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional care for these communities while bringing new and innovative practices to our patients and partners in healthcare.”
Milestones along the way have laid the foundation for high-quality emergency medical care throughout the operations. In 1942 Buck Ambulance worked with Kaiser Shipyard to become the first ambulance company in the nation to carry oxygen and, in 1969, was the first in the country to save a cardiac arrest patient. The company was among the first in the nation to be recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) in 1993.
Over the years, AMR’s commitment to healthcare has expanded to meet the needs of the communities it serves. The Reach and Treat Team was developed in 1988 to provide advanced life support in wilderness environments and AMR’s River Rescue Program launched in 1999 to provide lifeguards at Glenn Otto and High Rocks parks, both high drowning-mortality locations along the Sandy and Clackamas Rivers.
Today, AMR Multnomah, AMR Clackamas and AMR Southwest Washington employ over 800 full-time and part-time first responders from the surrounding areas. In addition to providing high-quality emergency medical care, the teams promote diversity through an annual diversity scholarship program, provide a certified therapy dog for first responders and community-wellness support, a Nurse Navigation program run in partnership with Clark County, a wildland fire team to support regional wildland fire-fighting efforts, an honor guard available for fallen EMS partners and a robust peer-support team to help with first responder well-being.
“It is an honor to have earned and maintained the community’s trust for over a century,” added Rocco Roncarati, regional director for AMR Southwest Washington. “We are proud of the service we have provided our neighbors, both through emergency medicine and in the programs and innovations we have introduced over the years to enrich these communities where we live and work.”
