** UK EMS dispatcher gives birth in car en route to hospital after refusing to hail colleagues for help
** Texas politician files bill allowing EMS personnel to carry guns while on duty
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** A Bridgnorth EMS dispatcher gave birth to her son at the side of the road Saturday after she refused to hail her colleagues for an ambulance ride. The BBC (November 14) said Sarah Blaze, 35, was en route to Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital when her waters broke. An earlier trip to the facility resulted in her being sent home for false labour pains. Despite Blaze’s determination that her West Midlands Ambulance Service colleagues not see her as she gave birth, an EMS unit was hailed to transport her to hospital following the birth. Blaze’s husband, who delivered William, said the only really tense moment arrived when he had to struggle to remove the umbilical cord from around his son’s neck.
UNITED STATES NEWS
** EMS personnel in Texas could soon be able to carry firearms on the job. That is the word from KLTV (Cody Lillich/November 14) which said that, at least, is the aspiration of State Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van) who filed State Bill 56 for the coming session of the legislature which opens January 10, 2017. According to the news service, currently only judges, district attorneys, and judicial officers can do so. Under the proposed legislation, paramedics and volunteer or paid firemen will also be able to. So far, hundreds of potential bills have been pre-filed. Those filed early are given a lower bill number which tends to be looked at more concertedly than bills with a higher number.
