Friday, October 18, 2013

** Australian medics in Victoria fear for their wellbeing during calls involving crystal meth abusers

** Ohio paramedic headed to jail after child endangerment conviction

** Increasingly unprovoked attacks on Victorian ambulance officers by drug abusers high on crystal meth has made some EMS practitioners fear for their lives. That is the word from the Herald Sun (Bridie Byrne/October 15) which said a recent spike in call outs for drug abusers has prompted medics to refuse to attend such help hails unless police are present. According to the newspaper, punching, kicking, scratching, and even death threats are becoming routine during drug calls. Several providers have suffered broken ribs and noses during such interactions. Ambulance Employees Australia spokesman Steve McGhie said crystal meth calls are becoming a daily bain for paramedics. He also said more efforts should be directed at educating people away from using the drug.

** An Ohio paramedic will spend the next 18 months behind bars after pleading guilty Wednesday to a third-degree child endangerment tag. The Newark Advocate (October 16) said Newark resident Terry R Hoffer Jr., 28, copped to  the charge as part of a plea deal. In exchange, clips for second-degree felonious assault and endangering children were dropped. According to the newspaper, the conviction relates to an incident in February of this year in which an 18-month-old child was burned while in Hoffer’s sole care. Despite the toddler sustaining scorches to the hands, upper chest, and shoulders, no medical care was sought until several days later. Hoffer denied intentionally harming the child. He resigned from his Heath Fire Department job in 2010 after a routine drug test showed marijuana in his system at the time of a minor ambulance accident. He has also been suspended from a volunteer Thornville Fire Department job pending the outcome of a missing drugs investigation.