Tuesday, September 6, 2011

** Authorities release names of 2 killed in UK Army ambulance crash

** Virginia medic falls asleep at wheel;ambulance crashes onto its side

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Authorities in Cumbria have identified the two soldiers killed Thursday afternoon in an ambulance accident with two trucks. The Advertiser (Stuart Minting/September 5) said Private Jim Austin, 24, and Lance Sergeant David Gartland, 40, died around 1:40 p.m. According to the newspaper, the two were based at Catterick Garrison’s Infantry Training Centre. They were on their way back to base from from a training exercise when the crash occurred. 400 Troop spokesman Capt. Dominic Rogerson said Austin was an unassuming professional, while Gartland was a gentleman and consummate medic. As of Monday, there is no word on what caused the crash. A police spokesman did say, however, that one of the three vehicles involved in the collision was emitting smoke which was witnessed by other motorists.

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A Friday accident in Charlottesville, Virginia, that saw an EMS rig flip on its side, resulted when the driver of the unit fell asleep. That is the word from Newsplex.com (September 2) which said the 6 p.m. private ambulance crash occurred when the unit was loaded with 3 EMTs and a patient. According to the news site, only one of the prehospital workers required hospital treatment for minor injuries. The unit was not on a lights and sirens run at the time. The driver of the ambulance, meanwhile, has been charged with reckless driving.