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 Company: American Medical Response, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Company Description: AMR had provided 9-1-1 and non-emergency ambulance transport services to all of El Paso County Colorado since 1979. Whether it is someone that becomes ill at the top of Pikes Peak or crashes their car on the eastern plains, we are there to take care of them. In 2006 we were selected as the National Ambulance service of the year.
Nomination Category: Company Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program
Nomination Title: American Medical Response: Sentimental Journey Program
- Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved since January 1 2007 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
For this program, a brief history is imperative to understand what this program
means to this Community.
About 10 years ago a crew was tranporting a man from the hospital who had only
a few weeks to live to his home for hospice care. The paramedic was chatting
with him on the ride and the man expressed his regret that he would not get to
see the changing aspens. The paramedic decided that wish could be fulfilled on
their trip to his house. They pulled off at a vista point, took the patient on
the cot to the viewing area and stood there with him while he watched the
aspens.
This act made a lasting impression on the crew. They approached AMR management
and Pikes Peak Hospice management to implement a program they named Sentimental
Journey. As part of the program, AMR donates all crew time, medical
supervision and vehicle expenses to take someone on their last request. Over
the years there have been many remarkable trips. On one, AMR took a woman to
Cripple Creek where she won $3000. On another, a motorcycle rider went to one
last bonfire with his motorcycle gang. And on yet another, a man went to the
zoo with his daughter a month before her seventh birthday to celebrate, since
he wouldn’t be there on her actual birthday.
While this program is relatively small and we can only provide about 15 trips a
year, the lasting impact on families is immeasurable.
Sentimental Journey is growing into a nationwide community service program,
offered in many areas by the local ambulance provider. In 2007, AMR El Paso
County shared information to get the program started in communities in Utah,
New Mexico, Florida, New York and Connecticut.
Sentimental Journey is promoted by one of the co-founders of the program who is
a presenter at many emergency medical services conferences. Through his
presentations he promotes Sentimental Journey, and sends interested agencies to
us to help them implement the program in their community.
Most of the journeys we provide are simple requests such as wanting to go home
for a few hours or to a favorite restaurant. Some of the more notable over the
past year are a 50th wedding anniversary that was celebrated six weeks early
because the woman wouldn’t be alive on the anniversary date. Others include
taking a man to his favorite hang out to sing karaoke and taking a woman to her
husband’s memorial service.
In February of 2007 the Pikes Peak Fire Chiefs Forum chose Sentimental Journey
to receive the proceeds from their fund raising dinner. We bought a digital
camera with the funds so we can take photos of the trip and make a memory book
for the family.
In May of 2007 the Center for Non-Profit Excellence honored the Sentimental
Journey program with their Corporate Service Award.
- List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
http://daily.gazette.com/Repository/ml.asp?
Ref=VGhlR2F6ZXR0ZS8yMDA3LzA1LzIwI0FyMDUzMDA=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-
custom
http://www.gazette.com/opinion/colorado_24022___article.html/education_student.
html
http://www.gazette.com/articles/berry_11001___article.html/journeys_wanted.html
#slComments
- Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:
Ted Sayer is the General Manager for the El Paso County operation. He has been
in the emergency medicine field for almost 20 years. He has always been very
pro-community and giving back whenever possible. Ted has supported the
Sentimental Journey program since its inception and is always willing to donate
these trips. Ted is very proud of the crew’s accomplishments in being selected
as the National Ambulance Service of the Year (2006), the El Paso County
Philanthropic Company of the Year (2006) and receiving the Better Business
Bureaus Excellence in Customer Service Award (2007).
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