Wednesday, June 3, 2009

** Obscene finger gesture cited as spark for confrontation between Oklahoma police and paramedics

** Florida paramedic startled after patient he resuscitates turns out to be his own grandfather

UNITED STATES NEWS

** An obscene finger gesture is being blamed as the reason an Oklahoma state trooper put a paramedic in a choke hold last week. That is the word from KOCO 5 News (June 2) which said the motivation was cited in a report prepared by the police officer involved in the May 24th dust-up with Creek Nation paramedics. According to the newspaper, Daniel Martin said he took umbrage with EMS after it first failed to yield to him while he responded to a lights and sirens stolen vehicle call. He then grew more perturbed when paramedic Paul Franks gave him the finger out the window while the cruiser car passed. Franks, meanwhile, denies the incident. Allegedly unable to speak alone with Franks to clarify matters, Martin said a private briefing between the two would have prevented the ensuing confrontation with attending paramedic Maurice White Jr.

** A New Smyrna Beach, Florida paramedic got a surprise Sunday when he was called to respond to a house fire victim, only to find the man was his own grandfather. The Examiner (June 2) said Mike Sanford arrived at the residence after off duty firefighter Billy Crapps had rescued Al Sanford, 84, from the inside of a nearby house. Bringing him out to the street, Crapps then handed him over to the startled paramedic who watched his grandfather collapse in front of him. Going into professional mode, Sanford immediately defibrillated the older man who continues to recover in hospital.