Friday, March 5, 2010

** Part of Florida paramedic’s leg amputated following ambulance/SUV crash

** US Army looking to develop battlefield medic robots

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A Fort Pierce, Florida paramedic has had his leg amputated after the ambulance he was riding in was struck by an SUV Tuesday. WPTV (Carolyn Scofield/March 4) said doctors removed Christopher Doyle’s left leg just below the knee. According to the newspaper, Doyle, who had hoped to become a firefighter, worked for All County Ambulance. The unit was at an intersection attempting to make a left hand turn around 6 p.m. when the Nissan SUV plowed into the passenger side of the EMS unit. Tipping onto its side, the ambulance then rotated several times before sliding about 50 feet. The driver of the Nissan was killed on impact. The driver of the ambulance, meanwhile, was treated and released from hospital. Police continue to investigate.

** Battlefield medics of the future could soon be replaced by robots. That, at least, is the possibility being dangled by Wired.com (Katie Drummond/March 3) which quoted from a proposal put out by the US Army. According to the news service, military brass are looking to develop a combat extrication system with an EMS crew composed of machines. Capable of providing low level medic or first responder care, the mechanized prehospital workers would be assisted by robots able to lift or drag injured soldiers from harms way. They would then be transported to more definitive care in unmanned vehicles. Such robot rescue crews could also toil in all types of terrain, as well as near natural or created hazards.