** Funeral services set for Thursday for Texas EMT killed Friday in collision with 18 wheeler
** Toronto medics seeing increase in overdose deaths
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Funeral services are set for Thursday in Burnet, Texas for an EMT/firefighter killed Friday in an
ambulance/18 wheeler crash. Fox 7 Austin (Noelle Newton/September 21) said the commemoration
for Daniel Hampton, 35, will take place at 10 a.m. at Hill Country Fellowship Church. Hampton,
who leaves a wife and 4 children behind, had previously served as a US Army combat medic.
During that time he served two tours in Iraq. A memorial fund has been set up to assist the family.
Hampton’s partner, meanwhile, Timothy Pierce continues to recover in hospital. Although Pierce
survived the crash, he suffered several broken bones in the mishap while riding in the rear of the
EMS unit.
CANADA NEWS
** Toronto paramedics in Ontario are apparently seeing an increase in overdose patient deaths,
with new stats saying there has been a 41 per cent hike in such demises between 2004 and 2013.
That is the word from the Torstar News Service (September 21) which said the data collected by
the city’s Public Health Department found the numbers jumped from 146 to 206 over the nine year
period. Toronto Drug Strategy Implementation Panel Chair Ward 20 Councillor Joe Cressy said the
hike is likely due to an alarming rise in opioid use such as heroin and fentanyl. He also said increasing
accessibility to Naloxone could reduce the figures. Currently, only those who are known opioid
users who complete a program gain access to it. Parkdale Community Health Centre harm reduction
councilor Natallie Kallio agreed, noting that the removal of Oxycontin from the market is also
fueling the trend.
