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** British dispatch team of surgeons and paramedics to typhoon devastated Philippines

** UK medics fail to spot stab wound on patient who later died in hospital

** In an effort aid the typhoon struck Philippines, the British government dispatched a team of 12 surgeons and paramedics to the area Tuesday. ITV (November 12) said the move comes at a time when very little aid has been reaching the storm torn area. Particularly hard hit was the coastal town of Tacloban City which was essentially destroyed. The Disaster Emergency Committee said it has so far raised 13 million pounds for the relief effort. Displacing some 580,000 people (Jill Reilley/Daily Mail/November 13) the storm may have killed as many as 10,000, though Philippines President Benigno Aquino said the number was closer to 2,500.

** North West Ambulance Service brass are publicly apologizing after a team of medics failed to spot a stab wound on a young adult patient who later died in hospital. The Manchester Evening News (Stuart Greer/November 14) said the October 30th Cheshire call to attend Zain Sailsman was originally treated as a cardiac arrest following a car accident. Although medics detected bleeding, the stab wound was not discovered until arrival at a nearby hospital. To complicate matters further, the facility Sailsman was transported to was not a major trauma unit and, therefore, was ill equipped to treat him. Nine people have so far been arrested in connection with Sailsman’s death. There is no word, however, on whether or not any corrective measures were taken with the EMS practitioners who treated him.

** Canadian military plane loaded with ambulances heading to storm struck Philippines

** Florida county doing criminal background checks on medics and inspecting ambulances to ensure both pass muster

** A C-17 cargo plane from CFB Trenton landed in Hawaii Monday loaded with ambulances, a medical team, forklift and communications equipment bound for the typhoon devastated Philippines. The Brandon Sun (November 13) said the aircraft will remain on the island until an advance team determines how best to position the aid. According to the newspaper, this Disaster Assistance Response Team or DART, which is now in Manila, consists of about 17 military members as well as some 12 civilians from the Foreign Affairs department. The aircraft, meanwhile, includes about 43 DART members as well as the above mentioned equipment.

** A Florida county is being extra diligent about ensuring public vehicles like ambulances are safe for the public. ABC Action News (Jackie Callaway (November 13) said Hillsborough County inspectors are examining every EMS unit, taxi, limo, and wrecker by the end of the year. Vehicles failing the look-see are immediately removed from service until appropriately fixed. Criminal record background checks are also being done on driver’s of EMS and other public vehicles.