Friday, January 7, 2011

** New York EMS chief replaced after complaints over EMS response during blizzard

** New Jersey man indicted after allegedly providing prostitutes for volunteer ambulance squad’s parties

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A day after a state senator complained about New York’s EMS response during the recent blizzard, the city’s EMS chief has been replaced. NY1 (January 6) said John Peruggia was given his walking papers after six years of service. According to the newspaper, Peruggia, who was already under scrutiny for conflict of interest charges involving a trip with a city vendor, is being replaced by the Chief of Emergency Dispatch;Abdo Nahmod has worked EMS for 25 years. In addition to Peruggia, Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joe Bruno is also being criticized for his organization’s poor storm response. Insiders, however, told the newspaper Bruno is unlikely to lose his job over the brouhaha.

** A Woodbridge, New Jersey man has been indicted on promoting prostitution charges, after he allegedly supplied hookers to members of a local ambulance squad. The Associated Press (January 6) said Stanley Misiuk, 59, apparently brought the women to parties held by the Avenel-Colonia First Aid Squad. Misiuk’s attorney said he is not guilty. The scandal is the second in recent memory. In June, several squad members were charged with criminal trespassing. According to the news service, the group was caught after trying to break in to an abandoned roller rink. The mayor closed the squad in shortly after.