Author Archives : admin

** Ohio man gets probation for impersonating EMT at accident scene

** North Carolina EMS agencies warned of new drug scourge hitting streets;acetyl fentanyl ID’d in 3 recent overdose deaths

** An Ohio man has been sentenced to six months probation and a $171 fine after impersonating an EMT at an accident scene last November. WDTN (February 17) said Dayton resident James Stephens pleaded no contest Monday to misconduct. According to the news site, the jig was up for Stephens after he made his false claim following an MVA on US 35. He apparently also allegedly misrepresented himself to victims of the 2000 tornado in Xenia. There is no word on whether or not he was charged in the latter incident.

** North Carolina EMS agencies are being advised that a new drug five times more potent than heroin is hitting city and county streets. WRAL (February 18) said acetyl fentanyl has been identified as the recent killer of three people who died from overdoses. According to the news station, the deaths occurred in Sampson, Person, and Transylvania counties. State Health Director Robin Gary Cummings said the synthetic drug is a serious threat to public health in a state where overdose deaths have jumped 300 % since 1999. The warning echoes one issued last June by the CDC. In that alert, the agency advised emergency departments and EMS organizations to ensure they keep a good stock of naloxone on hand.

** Australian medics in Northern Territory start industrial action over bullying

** North Carolina woman charged after allegedly stealing ambulance, leading police on high speed chase

** Northern Territory medics are apparently protesting bullying on the part of their managers. ABC (Rob Herrick/Felicity James/February 17) said practitioners have begun unspecified industrial action to complain about racist and sexist jokes, verbal abuse, physcial intimidation and even assaults. United Voice delegate Dan Falzon said St. John Ambulance Service brass remain apathetic about the problems with a particular group of managers. Minister for Public Employment John Elferink, meanwhile, was quoted as being dismissive last week of yet another complaint involving the use of sending prehospital students to emergencies. Elferink said providers are only raising the issue to obtain higher wages. He also said as long as the ambulance service did its job, his office did not care how resources were used to accomplish it.

** A North Carolina woman has been hit with several charges after stealing a Hendersonville ambulance from outside an emergency room Monday and leading police on a high speed chase. The Hendersonville Lightning (Bill Moss/February 17) said Stephanie Mae Erwin, 33, has been tagged with theft of a motor vehicle, driving while impaired, misdemeanor larceny, damage to property, and fleeing police to elude arrest. Erwin, who had originally been transported to hospital for drug overdose treatment, allegedly made off with the EMS unit around 1:14 a.m. Fleeing for several miles, she was eventually apprehended after police employed stop sticks and broke the ambulance window to access her. No one was injured in the incident.