** California family of LODD flight medic suing air ambulance company for negligence
** Female Welsh paramedic given working ban after stealing woman’s purse at EMS party
UNITED STATES NEWS
** The California family of a Fresno paramedic killed in a December air ambulance crash are suing
the company for negligence. That is the word from the Fresno Bee (Pablo Lopez/January 22) which
said relatives of Kyle Juarez, 37, filed their lawsuit against Rogers Helicopters earlier this month in
reference to the December 10th crash near McFarland. According to the newspaper, the suit is
seeking damages, as well as funds to cover funeral expenses and medical bills. Juarez perished
alongside pilot Thomas Hampl, 49, and critical care nurse Marco Lopez, 42. Patient Kathryn Ann
Brown, 40, also died. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reps continue to investigate the
accident.
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** A Welsh Ambulance Service paramedic has been struck off from practicing after stealing a
woman’s purse at a 2013 EMS Christmas party. Wales Online (January 22) said Esther Thomas,
44, was given her walking papers Friday by the Health and Care Professions Council. According to
the newspaper, Thomas was convicted at Swansea Magistrates Court in 2014 in relation to the
incident. By way of punishment, she was fined 320 pounds. The HCPC has banned her for 5 years.
The decision comes after another incident in 2009 in which she was suspended after going grocery
shopping with her ambulance while on duty. In the most recent infraction, Thomas said she had
little memory of the incident. She did tell the police, however, she was trying to return the purse
to a colleague and was mistaken for stealing it.
