12/8/11

Features

"FIRESTORM" (w/ trailer)

Eleven hospitals have closed in the last five years, and the wait time in some ERs is as long as 48 hours.

Dec 8, 2011, 9:57:31 PM

Military

War's horror still haunts Sacramento region's wounded warriors

It has been more than two years since Emmett Spraktes last stanched the blood of wounded and dying soldiers as a flight paramedic in Afghanistan.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:57:56 PM

Military

Slippery Stuff: CASEVAC vs. MEDEVAC

The working definitions of CASEVAC and MEDEVAC are so misleading that you must ask the person using the terms exactly what is meant. For instance, US Air Force “Pedro” performs CASEVACs. If you ask a Pedro pilot with hundreds of combat missions behind him, his definitions are likely to be simple:

1) CASEVAC is armed.
2) MEDEVAC is unarmed.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:57:50 PM

Ambulance Crash Log

Car driver seriously hurt in collision with ambulance - Indiana

The collision of a car and an Indianapolis EMS ambulance this evening on the Eastside caused serious injury to the sedan's driver, police said.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:53:02 PM

Ambulance Crash Log

3 injured after ambulance crashes in Cambridge - Minnesota

Three people were injured early Monday afternoon when an Allina Ambulance was involved in a crash with a garbage truck in the town of Cambridge.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:49:07 PM

Ambulance Crash Log

Ambulance Carrying Passenger Involved in Three Vehicle Crash - Nebraska

An Allina ambulance transporting a patient between hospitals was involved in an accident with a garbage truck and a car in Cambridge Monday afternoon.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:45:52 PM

Ambulance Crash Log

Ambulance involved in Canton head-on collision, three injured - Massachusetts

An ambulance crashed head-on into another vehicle on Route 138 near Industrial Drive in Canton earlier tonight, sending both drivers to the hospital by MedFlight.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:45:13 PM

Ambulance Crash Log

Ambulance Flips Over In Corbin - Kentucky

A scary situation in Corbin Sunday evening as an ambulance got t-boned while transporting a patient.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:44:26 PM

Criminal

EMT hostage case continued to Dec. 19 - Nebraska

The court case against a North Platte man charged with trapping two EMTs in a home in August has been continued to Dec. 19.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:42:02 PM

Criminal

Company targeted by Feds for health care fraud - Tennessee

A federal agent, parked nearby, watched through his windshield as someone climbed from the passenger side. Moments later, the passenger returned with a bag of food. Murfreesboro Ambulance Service later billed the ride to Medicare as two separate trips to a dialysis clinic, according to documents filed in federal court, with two different patients laid up on stretchers, at more than $2,000 altogether.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:35:32 PM

Bodily Assault Log

Trainer tries to help EMTs, paramedics combat attacks, stay safe on their jobs - Missouri

A national group says medics get attacked on average on 1 out of every 20 calls.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:34:07 PM

Bodily Assault Log

Injured woman punches paramedic in face - Oklahoma

Police arrested a woman who they say attacked a paramedic. Investigators say Tess Owen, 21, now faces a charge of assault and battery. She was taken into custody early Tuesday morning.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:32:37 PM

Human Interest

More drivers texting at wheel, despite state bans

A national survey, the first government study of its kind on distracted driving, and other data released Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the difficulty authorities face in discouraging texting and cellphone talking while driving.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:31:07 PM

America

Paramedic reassignments cause stir in Philadelphia - Pennsylvania

Firefighters Union head William Gault says transferring 200 paramedics to other firehouses is nothing more than retribution for lawsuits the paramedics filed in order to receive more overtime.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:30:06 PM

America

Lake ambulance to return to 24-hour service - Florida

Lake County emergency officials decided this week to return having an ambulance stationed all the time at a Clermont fire station, following a barrage of complaints from city leaders and residents

Dec 8, 2011, 8:30:05 PM

America

South Central EMS responds to perceived criticism from Lower Paxton Township supervisors - Pennsylvania

Supervisor William Hornung said he never got any inkling that South Central was not doing its job

Dec 8, 2011, 8:29:01 PM

America

City seeking fire/EMS proposals - California

The city's goal is to save money on its current contract with the Santa Clara County Central Fire District, while ensuring the level of service remains the same as it is now and that all the services in the city limits are provided by just one contractor.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:27:21 PM

America

Louisville EMS still awaiting contract - Kentucky

Todd Thomason, the Secretary of Teamsters Local 783, tells WDRB that Louisville EMS has been without a contract for 18 months


Dec 8, 2011, 8:25:57 PM

America

Allentown EMS faces $400,000 deficit due to city council vote, bureau manager says - Pennsylvania

Allentown Emergency Medical Services is facing a more than $400,000 deficit due to a rejection last week of their plans to reorganize

Dec 8, 2011, 8:18:37 PM

America

Moline residents tell city council to avoid layoffs for firefighter-paramedics - Iowa

Michele Stanley stood before the Moline City Council and Mayor Don Welvaert on Tuesday and related how, seven years ago, her 3-year-old son became ill, and how three Moline Fire Department paramedics made the difference between him living and dying.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:14:27 PM

America

Hoffman Estates reduces ambulance service to cut overtime cost - Illinois

The number of Hoffman Estates Fire Department ambulances operating daily dropped from four to three Tuesday, bringing service levels back to where they were more than four years ago.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:13:20 PM

America

Patient's wait for ambulance, death leads to Marco health center audits - Florida

The Marco Island Healthcare Center will be audited until early next year to make sure patients who need emergency medical care are being transferred to the nearest hospital, according to state inspection reports.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:11:30 PM

America

Lee County EMS supervisors' salaries frozen - Florida

Lee County commissioners locked in salaries and benefits for emergency medical services supervisors Tuesday with virtually no discussion.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:10:09 PM

America

Charleston City Council Votes on Sick Day Issue With Firefighters/EMT's - West Virginia

The hits keep coming for the Charleston Fire Department. Last month council voted to take administrative action on overtime pay to correct an on-going problem. Monday night, city council voted to change the sick day policy

Dec 8, 2011, 8:08:16 PM

America

FIRE CUTS: Department To Lose One Ambulance - Iowa

The City of Des Moines is considering cutting ambulance service at one of its 10 stations

Dec 8, 2011, 8:07:07 PM

America

At least 44 from Lehigh U. rave party taken to hospitals for drugs and alcohol - Pennsylvania

Incident is being called 'mass casualty' event that burdened emergency responders.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:04:12 PM

America

EMSA's travel spending draws scrutiny - Oklahoma

Oklahoma City officials who serve as Emergency Medical Services Authority trustees say EMSA travel and meeting expenses of more than $405,000 since July 2008, including first-class air travel, $500-per-night hotel rooms and a $2,800 retirement party, show its spending deserves more scrutiny and oversight.

Dec 8, 2011, 8:00:05 PM

Canada

Ambulances ‘held hostage’ by hospitals slowing emergency response - Canada

The number of times one or no ambulances were available to respond to emergencies in Hamilton has more than quadrupled in the past four years.

Dec 8, 2011, 7:50:20 PM

Medevac

Air ambulance REACH merges with Cal-Ore Life Flight

A Santa Rosa air ambulance company that provides service at Sacramento Executive Airport has merged with an Oregon-based company to create a comprehensive network of medical air and ground transportation in California, Oregon and Texas.

Dec 8, 2011, 7:17:35 PM

World

Gunmen attack ambulance in Mexico, kill 4 people - Mexico

Gunmen attacked an ambulance in this border city Wednesday, killing the driver, two patients and a fourth person in the vehicle, officials said

Dec 8, 2011, 11:39:36 AM