GMR EMS Week Celebrations Focus on the Front Line
11.3.2020
Company extends childcare stipends, distributes 30,000 recognition bonuses for frontline caregivers.
(GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.) – Global Medical Response (GMR) honored frontline caregivers and support teams during an October EMS Week celebration. EMS Week is traditionally held in May to honor EMS professionals. Due to the company’s COVID-19 FEMA deployments in New York and New Jersey and because of local restrictions on gatherings, GMR decided to hold EMS Week recognitions and celebrations in October.
“This year has been historic in so many ways, and GMR teams deserve to be commended, recognized and celebrated,” said Randy Owen, GMR Chief Executive Officer. “Our caregivers and support teams have played a significant role in responding to COVID-19, and that alone would have made for an unprecedented year. Add to that the worst wildfire season in the Northwest and a historic hurricane season in the Gulf Coast, and you have multiple reasons to celebrate the people who provide care to patients in need.” Owen said the company’s 38,000 team members, including 30,000 frontline care givers and thousands of support teams, have never wavered in the company’s mission to provide care to the world at a moment’s notice.
GMR capped off EMS Week with nearly 30,000 GMR caregivers receiving recognition bonuses for the incredible work they’ve done all year. The per-employee bonus averaged $500. Owen added that the GMR Board of Directors unanimously supported the recognition bonuses. “Despite the challenges of a pandemic and natural disasters, GMR frontline caregivers – EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, communicators, nurses and pilots – continue to provide care to 4,000 communities across the United States, when they need it most,” he said.
Caring for the caregiver during the pandemic has been no small task, and GMR was at the forefront early on. In March, the company created an Emerging Infectious Diseases website for all GMR employees. The website is regularly updated with information about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), decontamination and disinfecting procedures, clinical care, and pay practices for eligible employees affected by COVID-19. GMR also implemented the GMR Childcare Stipend for essential GMR team members in need of assistance because of school and daycare closings.
The company developed a Medical Assessment Screening Tool (MAST) for employees and contracted providers initially deployed to New York City and New Jersey to help with 911 calls as COVID-19 surged in the Northeast. The tool, which walks symptomatic employees through a series of questions to determine contact or exposure and recommends the employee’s next course of action, is still in use by all GMR air, ground and fire operations and administrative support teams. MAST is part of the company’s SafeRestart program which also includes a 24/7 Nurse Navigation Line for GMR teams – a human connection for employees to check on them daily during isolation.
GMR Chief Operating Officer Ted Van Horne said the company’s National Command Center (NATCOM) has been activated for 160 days during 2020. “During a typical year, it’s more like 45 days,” he said. “We received requests for help from communities starting in February, and we continue helping them today. I am so proud of every member of our GMR team.”
Van Horne shared deployment and response numbers.
TSA passenger screenings
COVID-19 Response:
GMR teams and other providers headed to New York City, New Jersey and Texas to assist strained 911 systems.
Wildfire Response
Hurricane Deployments
“This year has been historic in so many ways, and GMR teams deserve to be commended, recognized and celebrated,” said Randy Owen, GMR Chief Executive Officer. “Our caregivers and support teams have played a significant role in responding to COVID-19, and that alone would have made for an unprecedented year. Add to that the worst wildfire season in the Northwest and a historic hurricane season in the Gulf Coast, and you have multiple reasons to celebrate the people who provide care to patients in need.” Owen said the company’s 38,000 team members, including 30,000 frontline care givers and thousands of support teams, have never wavered in the company’s mission to provide care to the world at a moment’s notice.
GMR capped off EMS Week with nearly 30,000 GMR caregivers receiving recognition bonuses for the incredible work they’ve done all year. The per-employee bonus averaged $500. Owen added that the GMR Board of Directors unanimously supported the recognition bonuses. “Despite the challenges of a pandemic and natural disasters, GMR frontline caregivers – EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, communicators, nurses and pilots – continue to provide care to 4,000 communities across the United States, when they need it most,” he said.
Caring for the caregiver during the pandemic has been no small task, and GMR was at the forefront early on. In March, the company created an Emerging Infectious Diseases website for all GMR employees. The website is regularly updated with information about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), decontamination and disinfecting procedures, clinical care, and pay practices for eligible employees affected by COVID-19. GMR also implemented the GMR Childcare Stipend for essential GMR team members in need of assistance because of school and daycare closings.
The company developed a Medical Assessment Screening Tool (MAST) for employees and contracted providers initially deployed to New York City and New Jersey to help with 911 calls as COVID-19 surged in the Northeast. The tool, which walks symptomatic employees through a series of questions to determine contact or exposure and recommends the employee’s next course of action, is still in use by all GMR air, ground and fire operations and administrative support teams. MAST is part of the company’s SafeRestart program which also includes a 24/7 Nurse Navigation Line for GMR teams – a human connection for employees to check on them daily during isolation.
GMR Chief Operating Officer Ted Van Horne said the company’s National Command Center (NATCOM) has been activated for 160 days during 2020. “During a typical year, it’s more like 45 days,” he said. “We received requests for help from communities starting in February, and we continue helping them today. I am so proud of every member of our GMR team.”
Van Horne shared deployment and response numbers.
TSA passenger screenings
- 500,000 passengers screened at 13 airports and 11 commercial facilities
COVID-19 Response:
- 350,000 COVID-19 or symptomatic patients transported
- 3,500 employees self-isolated
- 640 COVID-19 positive employees
- 25 million medical and N95 masks procured
- 55 million gloves and gowns procured
GMR teams and other providers headed to New York City, New Jersey and Texas to assist strained 911 systems.
- 55,000 patient missions
- 575 ground vehicles
- 2,700 employees deployed
- 6 command posts
- 151 days of total deployment
Wildfire Response
- 246 employees deployed
- 82 wildfire ground assets
- 874 wildfire patient missions (including hospital and nursing home evacuations)
Hurricane Deployments
- 7,000 patient missions
- 1,617 employees deployed
- 616 ground vehicles
- 25 aircraft
- 5 command posts
- 51 days total deployment