Thursday, December 29, 2011

** UK EMS brass cry foul after ridiculous 999 help hail

** Central Florida ambulances don red ribbons to remind drivers not to drink and drive

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** EMS brass in Cornwall are publicly crying foul after a caller dialed emergency help because he was out of toilet paper. That is the word from the BBC (December 24) which said the hail to South West Ambulance Service has prompted managers to appeal to the public for less abuse of the 999 system. According to the news service, dispatchers are frequently inundated with hoax or unnecessary calls. A spokesman for the organization said such time wasters take unnecessary time to deal with, leading to genuine emergency responses being delayed.

UNITED STATES NEWS

** Orlando, Florida paramedics are using visual cues to remind the public not to drink and drive over the Christmas and New Year’s season. The Orlando Sentinel (December 21) said ambulances will don red ribbons on their exteriors to act as reminders against the hazardous practice. The campaign is a joint effort with Rural/Metro Ambulance and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).