** New Jersey man drunk at the time he stabbed EMT
** Ornge air ambulance in Ontario responsible for 2 patient deaths, coroner says
UNITED STATES NEWS
** New Jersey police have charged a 50-year-old Jersey City man with stabbing an EMT. The Jersey Journal (Charles Hack/July 15) said Bayside Place resident Anthony Raysor has been tagged with aggravated assault on an emergency first aider, resisting arrest, and weapons possession charges in relation to the Friday attack on the 34-year-old medic. According to the newspaper, Raysor was intoxicated at the time. Managing to remove his seat belt while in-transit to hospital, he stabbed the practitioner in the right shoulder, leaving the blade in the man. He was arrested shortly afterwards. The EMT, meanwhile, was treated in hospital and released. There is no word on what motivated the attack.
CANADA NEWS
** Ontario’s interim chief coroner has dubbed Ornge air ambulance responsible for the deaths of 2 patients. That is the word from the Globe and Mail (Karen Howlett/July 15) which said Dr. Dan Cass made the claim Monday at a press conference. According to the newspaper, Cass presented a report reviewing 40 instances of patient deaths after an air ambulance was requested. Cass said operational issues such as lengthy response times, inadequate paramedic training, paramedic and pilot shortages, and aircraft equipment problems all contributed to the demise of the 2 individuals. In addition, Cass said the cabin design of the choppers was poor. In eight other instances, he said Ornge’s deficits also played a role.
