Log book shows not enough medics for Ornge helicopter

Thunder Bay's Ornge air ambulance helicopter is unavailable to patients about a quarter of the time as pilots have been grounded for hundreds of hours over the past three months, CBC News has learned.

An Ornge pilot logbook obtained by CBC News had numerous entries like "no medics," "no nightshift," and "out of service" as it detailed reasons why between July and September the helicopter couldn't be dispatched during dozens of shifts.

Ornge has two planes and a helicopter in Thunder Bay but only two paramedic crews to split among them.

An Ornge employeetold CBC Newsthat staff membersare frustrated they are unable torespond to some emergency calls.

The employee whose identity CBC Newshas agreed to keep confidential said staffhear aboutsituationsthat could have used helicopter assistance after the fact.

"I used toenjoy my workplace," the employee said. "And now ... I leave there a lot of times [and] it feels like I've been punched in the gut."

Interim headacknowledgesproblem

Ron McKerlie,interimhead of Ornge, told CBChe acknowledgesnot having three paramedic crews for three aircraft is a problem.

"The helicopter really isn't much good if the paramedics that are at the base are all out,"he said. "So ... [it] really makes sense ... to have ... dedicated paramedics for each of the three vehicles."

McKerliesaid he has heard frustration from helicopter pilots in Thunder Bay.

"They want to fly," he said. "I'm sure they hear about calls or they know of situations where if only they had paramedics at the base ready to go they could have done something. In this case ... they don't have all the tools they need."

McKerlie saidit's one of the issues heinheritedwhen he took over leadership of Ornge earlier this year, butconsiders himselfaccountable for fixing it.

Ornge asking for funding

McKerlie noted the two planes are busiest, but the helicopter is needed to land in certain trauma situations, like highway collisions.

He said Ornge recently submitted a funding proposal to the Ontario Ministry of Health, which, if approved, will mean a paramedic crew can be dedicated to the helicopter.

"The helicopter is best utilized when you have two pilots and you have two paramedics and you can fly at a moment's notice," McKerlie said.

"[The system in Thunder Bay] was set up without a third line of paramedics. That has not been helpful to us."