Wednesday, January 12, 2011
** March 2010 murder of Massachusetts paramedic still unsolved;pundits say new DA could help
** Saskatchewan politicians concerned about air ambulance service
UNITED STATES NEWS
** EMS observers in Northampton, Massachusetts are likely keeping their fingers crossed that a new district attorney will help to bring closure to the case of a murdered paramedic. The Republican (Fred Contrada/January 11) said Northwestern D.A. David E. Sullivan, sworn in last Wednesday, inherits the investigation into the March death of Annamarie Rintala, 37. Rintala was found dead inside her home;an autopsy indicated the cause of death was strangulation, as well as massive head trauma. An employee of American Medical Response (AMR), Rintala was involved in a lesbian relationship with an area firefighter. Despite some ten months having elapsed since her death, no one has yet been charged.
CANADA NEWS
** Saskatchewan politicians are raising a red flag over inadequate air ambulance resources. Global Regina (January 11) said the NDP, which is in opposition to the Wall government, said having only two aircraft working with Saskatchewan Air Ambulance has resulted in service provision dipping by some 33 per cent. A third plane was placed out of commission for some three months after sustaining $500,000 worth of damage at an incident at the Maple Creek Airport. Circulating a press release on the issue, the NDP said the province must in the meantime come up with a game plan to ensure medevac services are optimized.
