Wednesday,November 3, 2010

** Fatal BC ambulance crash may have been sparked by medic falling asleep at wheel, investigators speculate

** Electrical problem pegged as cause of Saskatchewan ambulance station fire

CANADA NEWS

**BC investigators looking into the October 20 ambulance crash near Tofino that killed two paramedics say the driver of the EMS unit may have caused the accident by falling asleep at the wheel. CTV British Columbia (November 1) said that is the unofficial belief of some involved in scrutinizing the ambulance’s fatal plunge into Lake Kennedy. According to the news site, unit chief Jo-Ann Fuller, 59, was behind the wheel of the ambulance on the early morning return ride from Port Alberni where a patient had been transported. Medic Ivan Polivka was sleeping on a stretcher in the rear cab. Though BC Ambulance executive director Les Fisher refused to confirm the speculation, he did say medics are to be ready to respond to calls when on the clock. EMS union spokesman B.J. Chute, however, confirmed long distance transports can sometimes result in one partner remaining alert while the other sleeps. Along with the above mentioned theory, investigators are apparently seeking to determine whether Fuller had a medical condition that might have caused the crash. Additionally, the ambulance’s black box will also be looked at.

** Saskatchewan police investigators looking into Saturday’s Prince Alberta ambulance station fire says the cause of the blaze was an electrical problem in the main unit set alight. That is the word from a press release put out by Parkland Ambulance Service (November 1) which said investigators are still determining a dollar value to the damage done by the fire. Along with one EMS unit being destroyed, several others suffered. All units were spares and so EMS service has not been impacted. Cleanup efforts are already underway, though the release indicated some affected equipment will require shipping to the manufacturer for inspection.