** Funeral services set for Maryland paramedic gunned down at call
** Connecticut Senate Appropriations Committee kills PTSD compensation bill for paramedics
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Funeral services are set for today in Maryland for a Prince George’s County paramedic shot and killed at a call scene Friday. NBC 4 Washington (April 18) said the commemoration for John Ulmschneider will take place at the St. John’s Catholic Parish in Hollywood, Maryland at 1 p.m. A private burial will follow the service. Ulmschneider was shot through the door of a home by the patient after being hailed there to do a wellness check. A second responder also sustained 4 gunshot wounds and continues to recover in hospital. Police have not charged the gunman. News reports say the man claims he fired his weapon after believing the medics were burglars.
** Connecticut will apparently not be following suit with other locales by enacting legislation that would allow PTSD for medics and other first responders to be covered under workers compensation legislation. That is the word from WorkersCompCentral (April 19) which said the Senate Appropriations Committee killed the measure because of concerns over the high expenditures that would be involved. According to the news site, Senate Bill 134 would have awarded benefits to police, medics, and firefighters who had witnessed the death or maiming of one or more individuals. Coverage did not pertain to death by natural causes or by MVA. On March 1st, the Labour Committee approved the proposal. As a result of the Appropriations Committee vote, however, the bill will now not come before the Senate for final passage.
