Wednesday, May 2, 2007

** Massachusetts police awaiting autopsy results on medic killed in last week’s ambulance crash

** Washington, D.C. medic loses job over botched call

** Australians fail to hail help when heart attack symptoms arise

** Dunstable, Massachusetts police are awaiting autopsy results on the medic involved in last Thursday’s fatal ambulance accident. The Lowell Sun (May 1) said the findings will help to determine whether or not practitioner Michael Latta’s pre- existing medical condition contributed to the mishap. Police are speculating Latta suffered a fatal heart attack while at the wheel. He was only 21.

** A Washington, D.C. medic is now without a job, after being fired for a muddled response to a call involving a New York Times reporter. The Associated Press (May 1) said the unidentified practitioner, who attended on mugging victim David Rosenbaum in January of 2006, was turfed by the fire chief. A board of review had advised a suspension of 252 duty hours instead. Along with the firing, a second provider had his suspension doubled to 192 hours. A paramedics’ union spokesman decried the termination, saying his organization would appeal to the labour relations board.

AUSTRALIA NEWS

** Some 61 per cent of Australians would not hail emergency help if they thought they were suffering a heart attack. That is the word from The Australian (May 1) which quoted from research commissioned by the Australian Heart Foundation. According to the findings, 35 per cent of respondents were concerned with wasting EMS workers’ time with bogus symptoms, while 15 per cent said they were too embarrassed to pick up the phone. Foundation spokesman Lyn Roberts said the results point to a need for more public education.