Author Archives : admin

** Colleagues hold charity football match in honor of deceased Irish combat medic

** New Zealand fire union crying foul over responding to non emergent medical calls

** Colleagues of an Irish combat medic killed last year in Afghanistan have raised some 1,000 pounds in her name for charity. That is the word from The News Letter (November 1) which said the effort in memory of Comber resident Cpl. Channing Day, 25, included a football match. Day died October 24, 2012 in Helmand province while on a routine patrol. She was en route to teach first aid skills  to Afghan policemen when two gunmen on foot opened fire at a checkpoint. She was buried in Comber, Northern Ireland with full military honors.

** The union representing the country’s firefighters is crying foul over what it says is the growing number of firefighters being dispatched to attend non life threatening medical calls. 3 News (Kim Chisnall/October 31) quoted United Fire Brigades spokesman Nigel Lilley as saying volunteer firefighters have had enough with being hailed at times like 3 in the morning to see to patients suffering broken limbs, bumps, or falls. Lilley said resources are wasted during the call-outs, since a minimum of four people are needed to respond in a fire apparatus. He also said although his members know they may be needed in an emergency, matters have reached a breaking point. Several firefighters have threatened to quit if change doesn’t occur. St. John Ambulance spokesman Michael Brooke said they can simply train other people if fire personnel refuse to help. Brooke said, however, the upswing only happens because fire, on average, can get to calls faster.