Western Lane Ambulance District (WLAD)
Announces Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Week May 17-23 2015, with the following
reasons to celebrate:
• WLAD provides dedicated Paramedics, EMT-I's and administrative staff
whose number 1 priority is delivering excellent patient care.
• WLAD offers a Community Wide Public Education Program including
CPR classes, Automatic External Defi brillator (AED's) Distribution and
Training Program, SAFEKIDS, and the TLC Hospice Care Program.
• LIFEMED Patient Membership Program, providing our patients fi nancial
coverage for out of pocket Emergency Ambulance Services.
• The majority of WLAD Paramedics are trained as Critical Care Paramedics,
allowing for a higher level of Mobile Intensive Care (MICU) Transport
capabilities.
• WLAD operates at a tax base of 0.3198 cents per 1000 and at a 5 year
operating levy of 0.45 cents per 1000 - which is one of the lowest tax rates
for a Public Emergency Services agency in Oregon.
• One of the very few Public EMS agencies in the State of Oregon, which
allows every dollar spent to go strictly to EMS services as well as State
of the Art ambulances, top level medical equipment, medications, and
training.
• Covering an Ambulance District of almost 1000 square miles with various
terrains such as coastal, dunes swarming with ATV riders, metro and rural
regions and responding to approximately 3000 calls annually including
MICU transports to specialty care hospitals such as River Bend in
Springfi eld, and OHSU and Legacy Emmanuel in Portland.
First of all I want the
community to know what a
privilege it is to serve as the
Interim District Manager for
Western Lane Ambulance
District. With 33 years’
experience in the Fire and EMS
services I can tell you all that
the residents that live in or visit
the area have one of the finest
groups of men and women
providing medical care and
transportation in the business.
Their compassion, dedication
and competency is a model for
what we all want and expect
from emergency responders. I
can’t think of a better way to
express my confidence than to
say that if I or any of my family
members needed medical help
it would be by the highly trained
and skilled personnel of WLAD.
Henry
Hanf
provided
leadership and guidance to
WLAD for over 18 years
and was very supportive and
involved within the community.
He will be missed by those at
WLAD and the community as
a whole. I thought it fitting to
reprint some of his thoughts
and acclamations that were
posted in last year’s address.
“As a new fiscal year
approaches and I look out the
window of my office I see the
ambulances lined up in front
of the District and have to
reflect back on the changes
that have happened over the
past 18 years. Seeing these
magnificent symbols of the way
our community supports
Western lane Ambulance
District gladdens my heart.
We truly could not have
the up to date equipment
or vehicles without such
zealous support from
the community. Thank
you. Even more inspiring
are the letters we receive
thanking our employees for
their professionalism and
medical skills. So many of
you have called with words
of praise and gratitude. I
have to thank the Board
of Directors for their
intelligence and responsible
attitude toward both the District
and community. They take into
account all that is needed and yet
keep the knowledge that it is the
taxpayers that fund those needs
and balance the two beautifully.
I look to our Mission Statement
“To provide quick, efficient,
professional
emergency
medical services, transport and
community education with the
highest standards of excellence.”
I am proud to say that I believe
we are fulfilling that promise to
our community. Lastly, I would
like to thank my employees and
board for their contributions to
the District. They are a selfless
group that works all hours of
the day and night, sometimes
without meals or sleep and
without complaint. They are
all highly educated and kind
people who have made it their
life’s work to help those in their
community. Thank you all, you
have made my life better for
knowing you.”
I didn’t get a chance to meet
Henry but wish that I had. It is
evident, even in a short time, to
see that Henry’s guidance and
leadership helped established
the high standard of excellence
and the caring attitude that is
so important for an emergency
medical provider and the
citizens that we are here to
serve. Even though Henry is
gone the principles and values
that he lived by will continue to
influence future decisions and
the commitment of Western
Lane Ambulance Districts to
the citizens and community we
serve.
Sincerely,
Brian Burright, Interim
Manager
Western Lane Ambulance
District.
Winner of 7 State of Oregon Awards for
Outstanding Service and Excellence.
The Future of Western Lane
Ambulance District
e
t
u
l
a
S to
The board of directors of
Western Lane Ambulance
District
considers
our
District to be one of the finest
emergency medical response
teams anywhere. We intend to
continue to deliver our high
standard of care in a timely
manner to the people of our
district.
Our District faces several
challenges in the near future.
Our call volume continues to
increase as our population both
grows and ages. Last year we
exceeded 3,000 calls, a volume
that was almost twice the call
volume we had in the late
1990’s. At the same time we face
ever declining reimbursements
from insurance, Medicare and
Medicaid.
We must continue to operate
efficiently and effectively. One
way we do this is by hiring and
retaining quality employees,
those that know their jobs, and
know the area. We will also
continue to find ways to partner
with Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue in both training and
in call response. We will also
continue to maintain quality,
fully functioning up to date
equipment to be used in the
treatment and transport of our
patients.
Regardless of the challenges
we face, it is the mission of
Western Lane Ambulance
District to continue to “provide
professional emergency services,
transport, and community
education with the highest
standards of excellence”.
RENEW TODAY!
Lifemed Members! This year's membership
renewal packet is coming in the email. If you are
currently not a member and would like to join,
you may pick up your membership application at
the following locations: Western Lane Ambulance
District Office, Peace Harbor Hospital and Health
Associates of Peace Harbor. Remember, your
$65 provides you with security of knowing that
your Lifemed Membership could save you up to
$3,000 per emergency transport. Don't forget,
your currnt membership expires July 31st and
that's the last day you'll be albe to renew for this
coming year.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
National
Emergency Medical
Services Week
May 17-23
A note from the director: