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AMR was founded in 1992 when several well-established regional ambulance companies consolidated into a single company. The company was created in part in response to changes in health care reimbursement, the demands of new technology and the growth of managed care plans, which created a need to build a larger provider network. Since then, AMR has grown with more than 200 acquisitions.
Today, AMR is a leader in the emergency medical services sector. We're known for implementing and providing the industry's best practices. And our size and broad scope allows us to draw upon economies of scale, which benefit our customers and the communities we serve.
In 1996, AMR was acquired by Laidlaw International Inc., North America's largest provider of school and inter-city bus transportation, municipal and para-transit bus transportation, health care transportation and emergency management services. AMR expanded in 1997 when it merged with Med Trans, making it the largest ambulance service provider in the U.S.
In 2005, AMR management and Onex Partners L.P purchased AMR and its sister company, EmCare, from Laidlaw International. Onex Corporation, based in Canada, is a diversified company with annual revenues of approximately $16 billion and approximately $13 billion in assets. Onex is one of Canada's largest companies with global operations in the service sector, manufacturing and technology industries. Its healthcare investments include Magellan Health Services, Inc., Res-Care Inc. and Center for Diagnostic, Inc.
AMR acquired Air Ambulance Specialists (AASI) in 2006. AASI arranges domestic and international fixed-wing air ambulance service. With the acquisition, AMR offers a full spectrum of ground and air-based emergency medical transportation options.
Through the years, AMR has made many significant contributions to the emergency medical services field. These include:
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In 2007, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded AMR with an exclusive contract to provide ground and air ambulance service along with para-transit service to supplement federal and military responses to disasters, acts of terrorism and other public health emergencies. The contract covers the 21 states along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and could be expanded to the 48 contiguous states if necessary.
• AMR assisted with the evacuation and provision of emergency medical services during hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. During those disasters AMR provided hundreds of ambulances, paramedics and EMTs and aided in rescue and treatment efforts for thousands of people.
• On September 11, 2001, AMR was involved in the multi-state, long-term rescue and recovery effort of victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
• In 1998, AMR's New Haven, CT, communications center became the first call center in the nation to receive Center of Excellence accreditation by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED), one of the industry's highest standards. Since then, six other AMR call centers have received accreditation.
• AMR's Denver communications center was the first call center in the nation to receive NAED certification three consecutive times.
• In 1995, AMR was Oklahoma City's contracted provider during the Murrah Federal Building bombing. Our paramedics and EMTs were the first on the scene to rescue and treat victims. Drawing upon our experience handling that disaster, AMR developed recommendations for cities and counties regarding how to prepare for similar situations. Company representatives testified before Congress and shared their recommendations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). AMR received commendations in the Congressional Record for its work during and after the bombing.
• In 1995, AMR's Mississippi operation was the first to earn accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) without a single deficiency -- another of the industry's highest standards. Since then, 11 other AMR facilities have attained accreditation.
Today, AMR is more than an ambulance company. As health care has changed, AMR has adapted to the needs of its customers, providing innovative on-site medical care at national parks and theme parks and industrial health care to large businesses. We also offer many highly specialized services including medical dispatching for other providers, including public safety agencies. We tailor our services to meet our customers' needs.
AMR works with health care research companies to develop new and innovative services such as cardiac case management with remote heart monitoring. We also work with manufacturers to improve the design of medical equipment such as head immobilizers and gurneys.
Other AMR services include pre-hospital care research, standby contracts and on-site medical staffing; 24-hour medical call-taking and dispatch services; specialty response teams; community education; EMS training courses and clinical data collection, warehousing, analysis and reporting.
At AMR, we're proud of our history of growth and innovation and we look forward to even brighter days in our future.
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