Tuesday, July 10, 2007
** Female West Midlands, UK medic attacked
** Coroner’s inquest into BC Ambulance deaths begins
** Fallen Maine paramedic remembered
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** A West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic was treated in hospital Monday, after being assaulted by two burglars at her ambulance station. The Rugby Observer (Chris Smith/July 9) said the 1:30 a.m. incident, which played out in Rugby, ended with the female medic receiving cuts and bruises on her face. According to the newspaper, the woman walked in on the two vandals as they were rifling through a rapid response car. Service spokesman Richard Topping said the assault was sickening, particularly because the victim was a woman.
CANADA NEWS
** A coroner’s inquest into the May 2006 deaths of two Kimberley, British Columbia paramedics began Monday. The Canada Newswire (July 6) said the investigation, which will examine circumstances surrounding the demise of Kim Weitzel and Shawn Currier at the Sullivan Mine, has already stirred anger. Ambulance Paramedics of BC President John Strohmaier said he was dismayed BC Ambulance has taken over a year to enact protocol changes that might prevent future deaths. The dictate, announced Thursday, takes effect July 20. Saying change should have come sooner, Strohmaier said he is hopeful a full disclosure of the accident will result in speedy and positive safety improvements.
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Alcohol may have been a factor in the Thursday crash that killed Wilton, Maine paramedic Allan Parsons, 46. That is the word from the Kennebec Journal (Craig Crosby/July 9) which said blood alcohol test results on the drivers involved in the mishap will not be available until month’s close. Parsons, who was in back of the Med-Care ambulance at the time, died around 3 a.m. after a Chevy pickup truck crashed into the unit. The rig was lit up and en route from Rumford to Lewiston at the time. Parsons, who toiled with Med-Care for seven years, had previously worked EMS in Monmouth and for United Ambulance in Lewiston. He leaves three children behind. The driver of the ambulance, meanwhile, remains in fair condition in hospital.
