Tuesday, July 24, 2007
** Ohio paramedic recovering after fatal ambulance crash
** Ottawa paramedics get stuck in elevator
** Alberta labour organization monitoring potential Calgary medics strike
** ER crunches in Sydney, Australia drag on medics
UNITED STATES NEWS
** An Antwerp, Ohio paramedic remains in hospital in fair condition, after his wife and two colleagues were killed in a July 19th ambulance accident. The Crescent News (Becky Martinez/July 22) said Matt McDougall, 31, whose wife Heidi was one of three EMTs killed in a crash in Paulding County, was airlifted to Fort Wayne’s Parkview Hospital. All four were onboard the unit when it struck a tractor trailer. According to police, the EMS rig immediately burst into flames following the collision. Initial information indicates the ambulance was travelling at about 40 miles per hour at the time of impact.
CANADA NEWS
** A team of Ottawa paramedics got a start yesterday, after the elevator they were transporting a semi-conscious patient in suddenly came to a stop. The Ottawa Sun (Kenneth Jackson/July 23) said the 7:30 p.m. incident began when practitioners took the 60ish man from his 11th floor apartment. Around the fifth floor, the lift stalled for about 30 minutes. Service spokesman J.P. Trottier said the patient’s blood pressure did worsen during the ordeal, but medics were able to stabilize the situation. The man remains in hospital in stable condition.
** Alberta Health Minister Iris Evans’ declared intention to intervene in a Calgary medics’ strike has raised the ire of the province’s Federation of Labour. The Canada Newswire (July 20) said AFL President Gil McGowan contacted Evans to implore her to stand down from any action. McGowan said binding arbitration, such as that offered, consistently fails to prove fair to workers. He also indicated the AFL would carefully monitor any settlement, should Evans continue with her plan.
AUSTRALIA NEWS
** Winter time in Sydney has brought about the traditional ER crunch at city hospitals. That is the word from the Daily Telegraph (Joe Hildebrand/David Barrett/July 24) which said EMS workers were lining up at the Royal North Shore Hospital emergency room for as long as five hours Monday. Although unconfirmed, a further report indicated a nine hour wait at St. George Hospital. Hospital brass are pointing to a cold snap as the cause for the delays. However, one unidentified pundit blamed management for the problems, saying such issues were ongoing.
