March 29, 2024

Thursday, November 26, 2009

** Kentucky EMT fired after admitting theft of morphine

** Boston EMT accused of attempted murder hung himself, police say

** Ottawa’s paramedic dispatch flawed and ineffective, report says

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A Lancaster, Kentucky EMT has been fired, after being charged with stealing morphine from his place of work. The Advocate-Messenger (Ben Kleppinger/November 25) said Garrard County EMS worker Thomas Shelton, 37, was terminated after apparently admitting to the narcotics theft. According to the newspaper, Shelton took the drugs between February 2008 and August 2009. Twenty-one instances were noted. Shelton was charged November 17 after an investigation began into his conduct in September. A pre-trial conference on the 21 tags is set for December 18. If convicted on the Class D felonies, Shelton could face several years in prison.

** A Boston, Massachusetts EMT, released on bail Monday on attempted murder charges, hung himself around 10:30 p.m that day. The Boston Herald (O’Ryan Johnson/November 25) said Rhys Williams, 41, committed suicide on his back porch. Williams’ lawyer Peter C. Horstmann said his client’s death was surprising, given that Williams appeared to be in good spirits and had made an appointment for future legal consultations. Williams, who posted bail after being jailed since September 21, allegedly shot the two brothers of his deceased partner during an argument. Leaving behind friends and relatives, he was to have become a father in a few weeks.

CANADA NEWS

** Trouble with Ottawa EMS response times is being blamed on an ineffective and flawed paramedic dispatch system. That, at least, is the opinion of the city’s auditor general. According to the Ottawa Sun (Derek Puddicombe/November 25), Alain LaLonde said in his report that the province should rid itself of its current dispatch approach, replacing it with the American Medical Priority Dispatch System (AMPDS). Based on data gathered in 2007, Lalonde’s tome is not sitting well with deputy city manager Steve Kanellakos. Kanellakos said the paper was an inaccurate and outdated reflection of current facts. Ottawa EMS chief Anthony DiMonte, however, concurred with LaLonde, saying he has long fought for AMPDS.

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