Wednesday, June 17, 2009

** Vermont EMT dies after ambulance crash

** Oklahoma paramedic in choke-hold incident campaigns for cop’s dismissal

** Victoria, Australia medics to begin industrial bans

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A Bennington, Vermont EMT is dead after a Monday afternoon ambulance accident. WNYT (June 16) said Dale Long, 48, died after the ambulance he was driving hit a truck, left the road, and struck a tree. Long was pronounced dead at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. The 60-year-old patient, meanwhile, sustained serious injuries and was medevaced to Albany Medical Center in New York. According to WCAX News (June 16) Long, who had been in EMS for 25 years, was Vermont’s rescuer of the year in 1998. Initial information on the crash indicates a hail storm was taking place at the time the accident occurred.

** An Oklahoma paramedic, put in a choke-hold by a state trooper late last month, said the police officer involved should resign. Newson6 (June 16) quoted Maurice White after he appeared on CBS News with his lawyer to discuss the incident. According to the news site, White, who was treating a heat exhaustion patient at the time the unit was flagged down, said trooper Daniel Martin blatantly disregarded the patient’s welfare. White also said because Martin continues to evade responsibility for the incident, he has essentially proved himself unfit for public safety work. Martin was suspended with pay earlier this month.

AUSTRALIA NEWS

** Friday has been set for a series of industrial bans being introduced by medics in Victoria. ABC News (June 16) said the move comes after failed negotiations with government bean counters at the Industrial Relations Commission. According to the newspaper, the protests will involve about 2,000 medics. Ambulance Employees Australia (AEA) spokesman Steve McGhie said the main aim of the action is not to harm patients, but to inconvenience the ambulance service enough to spark reform. The main issues in the dispute are wages and the break time between work shifts.