Klamath Falls, Ore. – Oregon Tech is donating equipment to help local hospitals breathe easier if the number of Coronavirus patients continues to rise.
Officials from Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center picked up 8 ventilators from Oregon Tech Friday afternoon.
Students in the respiratory care program will also be allowed to perform externships at the hospital if needed.
“We were able to work out waiver forms for the students to get involved,” explained Respiratory Care Department Chair Jeff Pardy. “And every one of our students are involved. They want to be involved.”
Oregon Tech Clinical Director Michael Gilinsky added the ventilators are state-of-the-art. “We are the only bachelor degree program in the Pacific Northwest that actually offers this level of equipment.”
Oregon Tech is also making the ventilators available to Sky Lakes Medical Center if needed.
KOTI-TV NBC2 reporter Lyle Ahrens moved from Nebraska to Klamath Falls in the late 1970’s. He instantly fell in love with the mountains, the trees and the rivers, and never once regretted the move.Lyle’s job history is quite colorful.
He’s managed a pizza parlor; he’s been a bartender, and a “kiwifruit grader” at an organic orchard in New Zealand. A Klamath Falls radio station hired Lyle in the mid 90’s as a news writer and commercial producer. In 2004, Lyle joined the KOTI/KOBI news operation.Lyle notes with pride that he has a big responsibility presenting the Klamath Basin to a wide and varied audience.
“The on-going water crisis has underscored the fact that the people and the issues in the Klamath Basin are every bit as diverse as the terrain. Winning and keeping the trust of the viewers, as well as the newsmakers, is something I strive for with each story”.
When he’s not busy reporting the news, Lyle enjoys astronomy, playing guitar, fixing old radios and listening to anything by Sheryl Crow.
