Thursday, November 29, 2007

** Welsh Ambulance Service subject to yet another review

** Florida paramedics sued for negligence

** Ferno Canada announces new pricing reflecting stronger Canadian dollar

UNITED STATES NEWS

** An Orange County, Florida man is suing a team of paramedics, claiming their negligence resulted in him breaking his spine. WFTV(November 28) quoted diabetic Astolfo Lugo as saying the July 18, 2006 incident played out with medics picking him up in a chair which then broke. Unresponsive at the time, he fell to the floor and fractured his hip. His shoulders and parts of his spine were also broken. Along with the initial calamity, Lugo claims medics did not immobilize him when they carried him downstairs from his apartment. A spokesman for Orange County, meanwhile, is not commenting.

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Despite improvements this year, the Welsh Ambulance Service is about to be the subject of yet another investigation. That is the word from the BBC (November 28) which said Health Minister Edwina Hart ordered the review to look into still lagging response times. Hart also said the performance of paramedics themselves would be reviewed. Headed by trust chairman Stuart Fletcher, the look-see will additionally examine vehicle cleanliness. The service has been under siege for the past several years. In 2006 alone, three successive CEOs took the helm. Current chief Alan Murray assumed command in August 2006.

CANADA NEWS

** Mississauga, Ontario: Ferno Canada has announced that it is issuing a new price list to reflect the strength of the Canadian dollar versus the declining U.S. greenback. Since much of the broad line of patient handling and immobilization equipment that Ferno Canada distributes is manufactured by it’s parent Company, Ferno Washington, Inc in the United States, import prices have been greatly reduced due to the currency situation. ” We recognize that Emergency Services budgets are stretched far to thin at the best of times so anything we can do to pass on savings to these organizations in Canada will help to ensure that they are able to equip themselves with the newest models of products available on the market” says Bruce Whitaker, Managing Director of Ferno Canada. Ferno is a global leader in the provision of solutions to the Emergency Services, Emergency Preparedness and Mass Casualty industry sectors.