** South African paramedic trio robbed at gunpoint while treating patient
** Colorado looking at creating law for formal community paramedic program
SOUTH AFRICA NEWS
** A trio of Johannesburg EMS paramedics was robbed at gunpoint Friday while treating a patient
in Yeoville. The Citizen (Heidi Giokos/January 29) said the incident occurred while all three medics
were in the rear cab. According to the newspaper, the robber fled after obtaining valuables from the
crew. Service spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said his organization had seen an upswing in robberies
involving EMS personnel. He said while the practitioners involved are receiving counselling as a
result of the event, community members should be doing more to protect medical personnel. In
addition, Mulaudzi called on police to step up their efforts to prevent such occurrences.
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Colorado is apparently moving towards formalizing a community paramedic program. That is the
word from The Pueblo Chieftain (Peter Roper/January 29) which said the state’s Senate is close to
passing a law that would ensure prehospital providers undertaking the care are competent and
properly trained in in-home health care. According to the newspaper, the bill was recently passed
unanimously by the Health and Human Services Committee. It will go next to the Finance
Committee before heading for final passage before the entire Senate.
