On Wednesday, October 10th, The Louisiana Ambulance Alliance (LAA) deployed five strike teams consisting of 25 EMS units and over 60 Emergency Medical Services Practitioners and support personnel for medical response to support local emergency medical services in areas impacted by Hurricane Michael. LAA coordinated Louisiana’s EMS deployments through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) with organizational support from the Louisiana Department of Health.
“Our deployed units were on the ground for over a week supporting the movement of patients, evacuation of hospitals and 911 response,” explained Donna Newchurch, CEO of LAA. “Based on the history in the state of Louisiana, LAA’s natural disaster response teams spring into action at a moment’s notice to assist our neighboring states just as we would for our own state.
The ambulance strike teams included emergency medical services professionals from Acadian Ambulance, Lafayette; Advanced EMS, Minden; A-Med Ambulance, New Orleans; Desoto Parish EMS, Mansfield; Jackson Parish EMS, Jonesboro; Med Express EMS, Alexandria; Northshore EMS, Bogalusa; and Pafford EMS, Ruston. Several representatives from the LAA and LA Department of Health are also deployed with the ambulance strike teams to coordinate activities of the deployed team members.
“Louisiana differs from others state’s responding agencies become we’ve been there an know what it is like to go through this type of disaster, which makes us get the job done well in a professional manner,’ said Rob Daughdril, LAA’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Louisiana’s team received high praises for their work in Florida, making it the best EMAC response in the nation. “It was our turn to give back what we have received,” added Daughdril, “Handing the work with professionalism and pride as our teams took care of the people in Florida, has made this a very positive experience and we couldn’t be prouder.”
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About the Louisiana Ambulance Alliance
The Louisiana Ambulance Alliance (LAA) is a diverse group of EMS providers who promote emergency medical transport as a distinct concern in Louisiana; serve as a forum for a unified voice for healthcare providers, public officials, healthcare workers, educators and consumers working to improve emergency medical transport in Louisiana; provide a forum for the exchange and distribution of ideas and information related to the improvement of emergency medical transport; serve as an advocate for emergency medical transport, promoting improved health status and improvements to the health system for residents of Louisiana; and encourage the development of appropriate health resources for Louisiana.
To learn more about LAA, visit www.LouisianaAmbulanceAlliance.org. For up-to-date information, news and updates, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.