Monday, July 27, 2009
** Toronto appeals to provincial labour board to return striking medics to work
** Two UK medics arrested for child porn
** New York parents of murdered girl sue over EMT’s posting of corpse photo on Internet
CANADA NEWS
** In an effort to restore strike related lagging EMS response times, the City of Toronto has appealed to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). That is the word from the Globe and Mail (Jennifer Lewington/July 24) which said the request, which could result in staff complements returning to near normal, comes after bean counters found average wait times for emergency care had increased by 53 seconds. Currently, only about 75 per cent of medics belonging to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Locals 79 and 416 remain on the job as per an essential services agreement. Toronto EMS chief Bruce Farr said ensuring response times remain at their optimum is critical to public safety. The OLRB’s ruling on the matter is expected in a few days. The EMS strike has lasted for 36 days so far.
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** Police in Hertfordshire are investigating two East of England Ambulance Service medics for allegedly possessing child porn. The BBC (July 24) said the man, 36, and the woman, 29, who are currently out on bail, will appear in court November 6. According to the news service, police raided the couple’s home July 16. Both have been suspended from duty, as per the completion of an internal investigation.
UNITED STATES NEWS
** A New York EMT’s decision to post the photo of a murdered patient on FaceBook has resulted in a lawsuit being filed by the girl’s parents. The Staten Island Advance (Jeff Harrell/July 24) said Martha and Ronald Wimmer launched the filing July 25. According to the newspaper, the two are targeting the city, the NYPD, the FDNY, and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. A future filing will also include FaceBook itself, as well as other parties. Both parents said their aim is not only greater accountability on the part of public service agencies, but also stricter controls on social networking sites. The Wimmer’s daughter Caroline, 26, died March 30 after being strangled in her apartment. Responding EMT Mark Musarella, who is a retired NYPD detective, snapped a photo of her corpse with his cell phone. Musarella was charged in June with official misconduct;he faces up to a year in jail, if convicted.
