Friday, April 8, 2011

** Ambulance used to blow up Afghan police training base;six killed

** Saskatchewan step closer to rotary wing air ambulance service

AFGHANISTAN NEWS

** Taliban gunmen killed six Afghan security personnel yesterday by using an explosives laden ambulance to blow up a police training base. Agence France-Presse (April 7) said the blast, which occurred near Kandahar, also wounded ten other people, including a civilian. Fooling the wounded into thinking it was coming to their aid, the EMS unit arrived on scene after several grenades and small weapons fire were launched at the police centre. The Canadian Press (Mirwais Khan/April 7) said the driver of the ambulance detonated his explosives vest after several wounded police officers had been placed inside the EMS rig.  The strike comes mere months before limited withdrawals of US and NATO troops from the war torn country.

CANADA NEWS

** Money is beginning to pile up in the funding drive for a Saskatchewan chopper based air ambulance service. That is the word from the Regina Leader Post (Will Chabun/April 6) which said the provincial government has kicked in $5 million this year and $10 million per year over the next decade to the STARS initiative. Along with this, Crescent Point Energy has chipped in $5 million over 4 years, while potash business Mosaic also donated $5 million. Other financial commitments for undisclosed amounts have been forthcoming from Husky Energy, Rawlco Radio, and Enbridge. The plan, which would likely see bases in both Regina and Saskatoon, is expected to be enacted in 2012. The initial helicopters used will be  MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 twin-engine models. A fixed wing ambulance service, which operates out of both cities, has been in service since 1946.