** Pennsylvania paramedic sentenced after stealing drugs from ambulance service
** New South Wales paramedics still up in arms over death and disability insurance cut
UNITED STATES NEWS
** A former Pennsylvania paramedic has been sentenced to two years supervision after being convicted on charges she stole drugs from her ambulance service. That is the word from The Mercury (Carl Hessler/September 27) which said Abbington resident Tara Marzucco, 34, will serve 12 months of home detention and then another 12 with the town’s Intermediate Punishment Program. According to the newspaper, Marzucco will have to wear an ankle bracelet and will serve 5 years probation post sentence fulfillment. She must also do 100 hours of community service. Marzucco’s legal odyssey began in April 2015 when managers at Second Alarmers ambulance service noticed 12 drug syringes had been tampered with. An investigation found the morphine or fentanyl had been replaced by saline. Marzucco told police she used the drugs to treat a seven-year-old neck injury. She had previously used Percocet but found it no longer effective.
AUSTRALIA NEWS
** New South Wales paramedics are vowing to continue chalking slogans on ambulances, despite the Industrial Relations Commission asking them to cease and desist. The Central Western Daily (Jennifer Hoar/September 28) said representatives from the Health Services Union (HSU) have said they will not abide by the suggestion as it interferes with members’ rights to express their political views. An HSU spokesman said the protest was respectful and necessary because it deals with the need for better protection for paramedics in the community. The campaign comes one month after the state government cut co-contribution death and disability insurance by 75 per cent. State Deputy Premier Troy Grant said while he supports paramedics in their goals, placing chalk slogans on ambulances was inappropriate. He said both the premier and health minister are attempting to address paramedics’ concerns.
