EMT City Administrator

April 14--Excitement over the arrival of air medical service in the north country has given way to sticker shock. Air Methods, Englewood, Colo., brought a LifeNet medical helicopter to bases in both Dexter and Potsdam last year, but with that service came a hefty price tag: $30,000 to $40,000 per flight on average. Air Methods officials recently explained the expense, and said LifeNet patients most likely wouldn't pay the full amount. "Volume is a big piece of it," said Craig M. Yale, vice president of corporate development for Air Methods. The higher the volume of transport calls, the lower the cost of a flight will be. LifeNet has completed a combined 210 calls since it began operations at Watertown International Airport on June 1 and at Potsdam Municipal Airport on Oct. 1, Air Methods spokeswoman Tracey Budz said. The Northern New York service receives fewer calls than other regions, Mr. Yale said. The more calls completed in the north country, the less expensive they will be, he said. Residents of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties had gone without medical helicopter transportation since 2007, when Fort Drum's Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic program was reassigned to Fort Lewis, Wash. The program annually flew about 60 critically injured people from the north country to Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, or other Level 1 trauma-care facilities. the bill breakdown LifeNet charges are regionally based, and they vary by market. Bills are broken down into two figures: one for a lift-off fee and one for mileage. The per-mile fee for Northern New York is about $200, Mr. Yale said. That means a 64-mile flight from Samaritan Medical Center to Upstate Medical would cost about $13,000 in mileage, Ms. Budz said. The total cost of the trip would be about $33,000, she said, without giving specifics about the lift-off fee. Why so much? Aside from the lower number of calls compared with other areas, each base must be staffed and equipped with supplies so LifeNet helicopters are ready to go at a moment's notice. Critical-care supplies kept on each flight include oxygen, airway resuscitation equipment, heart monitor/defibrillator, suction, IV pump and fluids, specialized monitor/testing equipment, ventilators and emergency medications. Other costs include fuel, medical supplies, additional parts and maintenance and salaries for pilots, flight nurses and flight paramedics. Each local LifeNet crew comprises four pilots, four registered nurses, four paramedics and two maintenance staffers. In addition to the pilot, one R.N. and one paramedic are aboard every flight. Air Methods's cost of operating a base, Ms. Budz said, is $1.5 million to $2 million per base, per year. That is driven primarily by staff salaries, aircraft ownership costs, hull insurance and general and administrative expenses. "Despite what may seem to be high charges, after deducting our expenses, we end up with a very modest profit by business standards," Ms. Budz said. "We must have some profit to exist, but more importantly we use this income to support sustainable compliance with industry safety and accreditation standards." Charges are evaluated on a regular basis, and must be "adjusted to compensate for unrecovered cost from Medicare, Medicaid, charity and bad debt," she said. Flights are billable to insurance companies, so LifeNet patients may not pay the full amount shown on their bill. Out-of-pocket cost will depend on insurance coverage. "Air Methods will bill all health insurance, automobile insurance, workers' compensation, Medicare and/or Medicaid and will make every effort to maximize the amount insurance pays," Ms. Budz said. insurance MAY pay David G. McGrath can attest to that. The Clayton resident's 13-year-old son was transported via a LifeNet helicopter Jan. 9 from Thousand Islands Middle School, Clayton, to Upstate Medical University for what was deemed a head injury. Mr. McGrath said his son was in the emergency room for 14 hours before being released. Since his son had lost consciousness, Mr. McGrath said, he does not recall being loaded onto the helicopter or being treated in the air. He came to as the helicopter prepared to land. Mr. McGrath said he wasn't given any information from medical staff about the flight, but at the end of February he received a LifeNet bill for $42,407.16. He said little information was on the bill, and only two charges were listed: $23,587.96 for a "helicopter rotor base" fee and $18,819.20 for mileage for the 80-mile trip from Clayton to Syracuse. Luckily, Mr. McGrath said, his medical insurance, Tricare, covered all but a $20 copay. LifeNet was brought to the community through the help of many partners, including the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization. Executive Director Denise K. Young said bringing air medical service back to the north country, not its cost, was the agency's primary concern. "We did know they'd bill," she said. "It's a service. We weren't looking for it to be taxpayer-funded. They did indicate they'd work with people. They're looking to provide service that saves lives. At that moment if it's to save your child's life, I don't think any one of us would question the cost." On average, Ms. Budz said, 13 percent of LifeNet patients are uninsured, and 15 percent have no means to pay. Air Methods will work with an uninsured patient on payment options, and there also are programs "for qualified applicants that can reduce the obligation," she said. Since the inception of both local bases, she said, flights have taken pediatric to geriatric patients suffering from critical medical conditions to critical traumatic injuries suffered in accidents. As per state protocol, patients from scene calls are flown to the "closest appropriate facility." Trauma patients are taken to hospitals in Syracuse, Utica or Burlington, Vt. For hospital-to-hospital, or inter-facility, requests, LifeNet works with the following hospitals: Albany Medical Center; CVPH Medical Center, Plattsburgh; Columbia Presbyterian, New York City; Crouse Hospital, Syracuse; Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, Vt.; St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Utica; St. Joseph's Hospital, Syracuse; Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, and Upstate Medical. The decision to transport a patient via LifeNet is made by a physician or emergency medical services authority on the scene of an accident or at a hospital, Ms. Budz said. "When treating a patient at the scene of an accident, limited information about the patient's condition is available," she said. "With the best interest of the patient in mind, it's always best to err on the side of caution and treat for the worst." As part of Air Methods's continuing education efforts in the marketplace, Ms. Budz said, company officials encourage "appropriate utilization of air and do not support overutilization of air when it's not necessary for the patient's condition." Each flight goes through a utilization review, she said. ___ ©2013 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

My son would still be alive if medics had done their job ; INQUEST: MOTHER TO SUE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OVER 'BUNGLED' OPBoy dies in routine op ...but jury says no-one to blame A HEARTBROKEN mum is set to sue Birmingham Children's Hospital - where her beloved only child died following a 'bungled' minor operation. Ryan Senior, 16, suffered multiple organ failure during a supposed 'low-risk' 40-minute procedure. He died after consultant surgeon Harish Chandran used a sharp instrument called a trochar, instead of a blunt one, during keyhole surgery. It pierced a major vein which led to a fatal gas embolism, massive blood loss and cardiac arrest, an inquest was told. Yesterday, the inquest jury returned a verdict of narrative into the tragedy on February 16, 2010 - but it did not return a conclusion of neglect. The decision was immediately condemned by Ryan's devastated mother Sarah, whose family is now set to sue Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. ''Upon hearing the evidence, my son would still be alive and with us today if they had done their job and simply checked their surgical equipment before they proceeded with a relatively minor operation,'' said the mum, from Redditch. Much-loved Ryan, who dreamed of being a mechanic, had been suffering from a minor health complaint when he went into the hospital for a laparoscopy. It allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis with a tiny camera. But the operation took a tragic twist when Mr Chandran, the hospital's then clinical director for surgery, used a sharp trochar instead of a blunt one. Medics battled for more than two hours to resuscitate Ryan, administering 31 pints of blood to stem the bleeding, but he died. Giving evidence, Mr Chandran had blamed nurses for giving him the wrong instrument during the keyhole surgery. But a family statement added: ''In our view, the doctors failed in their care of their patient and so did the nurses. ''Doctors could have saved so much pain and heartache by admitting that they had made an irreversible mistake by using a sharp trochar instead of a blunt one. "Instead, Ryan's devoted mother has suffered every minute for the past three years. ''We have heard the vast amount of training and experience the professionals involved in this case have. They are totally dedicated to their profession. ''But they still cannot take a look at the instruments they are inserting into patients - all that training, but no commonsense.'' The family said it was also unhappy that Birmingham and Solihull coroner Aidan Cotter had not allowed the jury the option to record an unlawful killing verdict. The statement added: ''At the first inquest in November 2011, the same coroner had alluded to the possibility that we were looking at a possible verdict of manslaughter or gross medical negligence.'' Ryan's relatives thanked their barrister Richard Follis, of legal firm Shoosmiths, for his ''outstanding representation and support.'. A whole raft of recommendations were made by Birmingham Children's Hospital after the tragedy, including the separate storage of sharp and blunt trochars. And Mr Cotter said he is now writing a letter to the Royal College of Surgeons, under Rule 43, to question how surgeons can use instruments on patients without looking at them properly. He said: ''I cannot accept the basic premise that surgeons do not check what is on a table and do not check what they are going to stick into people.'' The inquest heard evidence from anaesthetist Jason Lewis that registrar Harriet Corbett had made the first incision into Ryan - claims she denied. But Mr Lewis, who is also an army doctor, later admitted his recollection could ot be replied upon. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

Night-shift medics get smart new way to care ; IN TOUCH: PHONES REPLACING 'BLEEPS' AT HOSPITALSNight duty doctors and senior nurses are being issued with smart phones to improve care for patients. They are taking the place of the old system where, if a nurse needed a doctor, they would "bleep" them. Caroline Barclay, manager of the Hospital 24/7 project, said: "We have been looking across our hospitals and how we can improve clinical co-ordination in the out-of-hours periods. "This new system allows nurses to put in non-urgent clinical requests using a computer on the ward. "A senior nurse then looks at the requests and allocates tasks to the appropriate person." She said in the past a nurse might "bleep" a doctor because a prescription was needed for intravenous fluids - a task which needed to be done but was not urgent. Ms Barclay said: "The doctor had no way of knowing if the request was urgent until he had called the person in question. "Something such as a request for a prescription needs to happen but it doesn't need to happen at a particular moment. "This new system should mean doctors have more time with their patients when they are most needed." So far, about 100 smart phones have been issued. The phones and a new computer programme have cost Pounds 220,000. The scheme began at Glenfield Hospital in February and is due to be extended to Leicester General next month. It will be introduced at Leicester Royal Infirmary in August. Ms Barclay said: "We recognise care is needed 24 hours a day and we want to make sure our patients get the best care. "This is one way to help us make sure the right person is available at the right time and in the right place. "During the day, we will keep the bleep system as there are more people around and doctors are more ward-based whereas at night they can be responsible for several wards." The out-of-hours system is in operation between 5pm and 8am at Glenfield Hospital as well as at weekends and bank holidays. It will operate during the same hours when it is introduced at Leicester Royal Infirmary. However, it will be operational from 8pm to 8am and at weekends and bank holidays at Leicester General. Ms Barclay said: "Some hospitals are now using this system 24 hours a day and that is something we may consider in the future." Last month, 60 iPhones were bought to improve communication in the accident and emergency department at Leicester Royal Infirmary. Dr Ben Teasdale, clinical lead in the department, said: "This provides an exciting opportunity for us to use new technology in innovative ways to improve the delivery of emergency care in the future." "This is one way to help us make sure the right person is available at the right time and in the right place" Caroline Barclay A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

A DETECTIVE is set to run the London Marathon in aid of Cornwall Air Ambulance after the charity helped save the lives of two of her relatives. Jane Stephens, who lives in Camelford and works on the child protection team in Bodmin, will tackle the worldfamous race in April in an attempt to raise Pounds 2,000 for the service which flew her nephew and cousin to hospital for vital treatment. Mrs Stephens, 45, who is a member of Bodmin Roadrunners, said: "I've always wanted to run the London Marathon, mainly to challenge myself. I've run several half-marathons and this seemed the next logical step. "My nephew was airlifted following a serious road traffic accident 16 years ago when he was six-monthsold. "I was on the scene at the time and I will never forget our relief when the helicopter landed in the middle of the A39. The paramedics were fantastic and he was in Treliske in minutes, receiving vital treatment." Mrs Stephens' cousin suffered a stroke at home in a remote part of North Cornwall late last year. "He is six months younger than me," she said. "Again, the air ambulance came for him and he was in Treliske so quickly he was able to have lifesaving treatment and has made a full recovery. "I have tried to raise money for them wherever I can. The Pounds 2,000 target has made this even more exciting." Mrs Stephens has been a keen runner for seven years. She has already tackled the Great South Run and Bideford Half twice, the Great North Run, Runway Runaround, Plymouth 10km and eight Race for Lifes, as well as representing Bodmin Road Runners in several races. She hits the gym at 6.30am five mornings a week to do interval and core strength training to help her reach the target of completing the race in less than four hours. Mrs Stephens also does hill running on a Tuesday evening, a club run of seven miles each Thursday night, as well as a long training run every Sunday of up to 15 miles. "Cornwall Air Ambulance receives no funding whatsoever but without them Cornwall would not be such a safe place to live," she added. To donate, visit www.justgiving. com/jane-stephens1. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

CITY Paramedics reject contract offer Pittsburgh paramedics voted "overwhelmingly" Thursday to reject the city's latest contract offer, the union president said. Anthony Weinmann, president of the approximately 155-member Fraternal Association of Professional Paramedics, Local 1, said union members will continue to work without a contract for the time being. The paramedics have been without a contract for nearly 27 months and have authorized the executive board to initiate a strike, he said. "(Union leaders) will carry our members' dissatisfaction ... back to the bargaining table," said Weinmann, who did not release the exact vote. "We trust that Mayor (Luke) Ravenstahl and Public Safety Director (Michael) Huss will return with us to negotiate in good faith until we can come to a mutually acceptable agreement." City officials could not be reached for comment. LAWRENCEVILLE Group says opposition to tax tops 57% A group against a property tax to pay for improvements on Butler Street and Penn Avenue in Lawrence-ville said on Thursday it has filed more than 200 opposition forms with the city. Under the plan spearheaded by the Lawrenceville Corp. community development group, property owners in the neighborhood's business district -- Butler between 34th and 57th streets and Penn between 40th and 45th streets -- would pay $10 annually for each linear foot of frontage. Opponents say that the tax would penalize larger property owners and characterize improvements the tax would cover as minimal. If 40 percent or more of affected property owners oppose the tax, the measure will fail. The Realtors Association of Greater Pittsburgh said it filed opposition forms from more than 57 percent. City Clerk Linda Johnson-Wasler said the opposition forms must still be certified. DOWNTOWN City wants old cases excluded from suit Old complaints against former Pittsburgh police Chief Nate Harper and Assistant Chief George Trosky don't belong in a federal lawsuit over a May 2010 road-rage incident involving an off-duty police detective, the city argued Thursday in federal court documents. Jarret Fate is suing the city over the attack by former detective Bradley Walker, who was convicted of assault and fired by the city. His lawyers want to use an excessive force complaint filed against Harper "decades ago" and a dropped 1997 domestic violence charge against Trosky to convince jurors that the two tend to condone the use of excessive force, the city claims in a motion asking U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab to block the evidence. City solicitor Dan Regan couldn't be reached for comment. WASHINGTON COUNTY Widow's killer pleads guilty, given life term A Washington County man pleaded guilty to killing an 80-year-old widow in her home and will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. Frank Russell Jones, 24, of Claysville pleaded guilty on Thursday to first-degree murder and was given a life sentence by Common Pleas Judge Katherine Emery. "Frank Jones was brought to justice today due to the hard work and dedication of the South Strabane Township police officers, Pennsylvania State Police, First Assistant District Attorney Michael Lucas and Deputy Assistant District Attorney Chad Schneider," said District Attorney Eugene Vittone. Opal Bedillion, who lived alone in a secluded home in East Finley, was found slain on Jan. 7, 2012. State police said Jones admitted he killed Bedillion to get money to buy drugs. WESTMORELAND COUNTY Execution 'unlikely' despite death warrant Two death penalty experts say it's doubtful that "kill for thrill" murderer Michael Travaglia will be executed in April in accordance with a death warrant signed Thursday. "I think it's quite unlikely," said Frank Baumgartner, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Pennsylvania and California have the most wacky systems where there are lots of people on death row and there have been no executions." This is the second execution warrant for Travaglia that Gov. Tom Corbett has signed in less than six months. The execution is set for April 25. Travaglia, 54, formerly of Washington Township, and his co- defendant John Lesko were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy for killing Apollo police Officer Leonard Miller on Jan. 3, 1980, in Westmoreland County. County to split cost to settle suit in fatal crash Westmoreland County and its insurer will split the cost of a $500,000 settlement to the estate of a Sutersville teenager who died in a car crash. Commissioners voted Thursday to settle the lawsuit filed by Tonya Lesniak, whose daughter, Taylor Lynne Frohnhofer, 16, died in the Nov. 27, 2010, wreck on Clay Pike Road in Sewickley Township. Frohnhofer was a passenger in a car driven by Jorden King, then 16, of Sutersville. King was speeding when his car left the road while rounding a curve. The vehicle struck a wall, became airborne and hit a tree. King pleaded guilty in juvenile court to a misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter. The county was named in the case because a sign lowering the speed limit was placed too close to the curve, said solicitor Mark Gesalman. Ex-boyfriend charged in assault over refund A Rostraver man is accused of assaulting his former girlfriend and backing his vehicle into her car, which was carrying the couple's infant, because she would not give him her tax refund check. Sirnandle M. Corprew, 36, was arraigned Thursday on charges of aggravated assault and related crimes that were filed in connection with Wednesday's incident in Latrobe, state police said. Corprew and the woman, who have a 10-day-old daughter, argued at her home. The woman told police she went to check on the baby and when she came back into the room, her purse was open and the tax refund was gone. She said she put the baby in the car and drove after Corprew, who backed into her vehicle. She said she followed him to a shopping plaza where he pulled her out of the car and punched her in the face. BUTLER COUNTY Evans City firefighters to get $125K in grants Evans City fire department will receive nearly $125,000 in grants for operations and safety from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The grants, according to Sen. Bob Casey's office, are awarded through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. Since 2001, the grants have been used to buy equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources. Firefighters weren't available to comment on Thursday. CAMBRIA COUNTY Student charged, expelled for threats An Indiana County man was expelled from Mt. Aloysius College in Cambria County and charged with threatening a professor. Anthony Will Briscoe Jr., 19, of Aultman, was charged with terroristic threats and related crimes after he was accused of threatening his biology professor, Dr. Laura Michaels, in a tweet sent on Feb. 13, police said. He is accused of threatening to slit Michaels' throat in front of the class, according to a criminal complaint. Briscoe told police that "he writes things like that for entertainment in that he finds it funny and other people he interacts with find it amusing as well," the complaint states. Briscoe said he has "no problems" with Michaels, but "he was just bored sitting in her class when he tweeted about slitting her throat and that's why he used her name," according to the complaint. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

April 06--Last year, Mt. Pleasant Borough Council had received complaints about response times of Medic 10. Within the past year, those issues were addressed and improvements have been made, council reported Monday. "We corrected the ambulance response times," said Council President Joseph Bauer, adding that Medic 10 is a valued resource to the borough. Bauer said Medic 10's reputation has improved to such a degree that Westmoreland County Community College sent the borough a letter requesting to use Medic 10's services for student certification for medics. The letter was handed to the borough solicitor for review and council passed a motion for WCCC to have two students in their law enforcement program be interns with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department after the solicitor reviews the paperwork. There will also be an open house at Medic 10 for the public to meet the staff and see the equipment used on May 11 from noon to 3 p.m. In other business: --Borough Manager Jeff Landy said a company from Chicago will look at the mechanisms from the motor of the Town Clock and see if they can replace it and get the clock working again. "It's been a roller coaster," Landy said. "But we're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel." --Council interviewed interested candidates to fill the seat of Councilman Kevin McFeaters, who resigned last month after moving out of the borough. Council named Jim Wojnar to fill the seat. He was also named the borough's parks and recreation chairman. --Mayor Gerald Lucia said the candidate signs that are causing complaints throughout the borough are not borough signs. --Lucia also announced a meeting for the Reality Tour to stop drug use will take place at the Rumbaugh Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. April 11. --Council entered into a municipal cooperation agreement providing for the county to have inspectors from the Westmoreland County Department of Weights and Measures perform parking meter inspections. --A community yard sale is tentatively set for May 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More details will be announced. --Bauer said he's looking into starting a homeowners' committee as an organization independent from the borough to help protect homeowners' property value. Mark Hofmann is a staff writer with Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-626-3539 or mhofmann@tribweb.com. ___ ©2013 The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) Visit The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) at www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

April 06--SAN JOSE -- As colleagues mourned the death of paramedic Quinn Boyer, his family on Friday spoke out for the first time, saying his killing has left "a gash in our hearts that will never heal." In the short statement, Boyer's family said his organs will be donated to patients in need, continuing his history of helping others. They also asked anyone with information about the Tuesday shooting in the Oakland hills to contact the Oakland Police Department. "We ask for your support and prayers, and your respect for our privacy during this difficult time," the unsigned statement read. Meanwhile, a modest but growing memorial adorned the front lawn of Rural/Metro Ambulance headquarters to honor the memory of the 34-year-old Boyer, who died Thursday. Friends, family, and fellow paramedics had been hoping he might pull through Tuesday's shooting. "Everybody is still in shock and going through the grievance process," said Brian Hubbell, operations manager for the nearly 270 emergency medical services specialists working in Santa Clara County. Boyer, a Dublin resident, worked as a paramedic for the county since 2008, with a stellar reputation on the job. "He was loved by everybody. He was a great paramedic and amazing caregiver," Hubbell said. "It's not just a loss for EMS, but a true loss for the community he served." The statement from Boyer's family says they will "miss him terribly and will never be the same." Boyer, the family said, grew up in Oakland and graduated from Sonoma State University, the Santa Rosa Fire Academy and Foothill College's paramedic program. He had recently been accepted into the physician's assistant program at Stanford. Boyer was also a Big Brother and a volunteer at the Order of Malta clinic in Oakland. Oakland police said Boyer had taken his father to a doctor's appointment Tuesday morning and was stopped at Keller Avenue and Hansom Drive about noon when someone pulled up alongside and shot him in the head at point-blank range. Boyer accelerated and his Honda Civic went over a median strip and crashed into a ravine, police said. Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital, but he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon. Police have been tight-lipped about the shooting, including possible motives, suspects and a car description. Whether he was targeted or attacked at random also remains unclear. The stretch of Keller is typically isolated during the time of day when he was shot. Boyer is the second Santa Clara County paramedic to be the victim of a high-profile attack in as many years: Bryan Stow was savagely beaten outside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles after the 2011 opening-day game between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Stow suffered severe brain damage and continues to receive treatment. Meanwhile, grief counselors have been made available to the Santa Clara paramedic crew, but even in this time of mourning, duty calls. "You can't just shut down for the day. It's tough, but we're surrounded by amazing, professional people who recognize the dedication to the field and what they do," Hubbell said. "They're committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the community." Boyer's family thanked Highland Hospital, where he was taken after being shot. "We are humbled by the love and support shown by our extended EMS family, including hospital staff, police, sheriff departments, fire departments, and of course the paramedics and EMTs," the family said. "We consider you all our brothers and sisters." There is a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Anyone with information can contact Oakland police at 510-238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572 or 510-777-3211. Contact Robert Salonga at 408-920-5002. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga. ___ ©2013 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

April 05--SAN JOSE -- As colleagues mourned the death of paramedic Quinn Boyer, his family on Friday spoke out for the first time, saying his killing has left a "a gash in our hearts that will never heal." In the short statement, Boyer's family said his organs will be donated to patients in need, continuing his career of helping others. They also asked anyone with information about the Tuesday shooting in the Oakland hills to contact the Oakland Police Department. "We ask for your support and prayers, and your respect for our privacy during this difficult time," says the unsigned statement. Meanwhile, a modest but growing memorial adorned the front lawn of Rural/Metro Ambulance headquarters to honor the memory of the 34-year-old Boyer, who died Thursday. Friends, family, and fellow paramedics had been hoping he might pull through following the Tuesday shooting. "Everybody is still in shock and going through the grievance process," said Brian Hubbell, operations manager for the nearly 270 emergency medical services specialists working in Santa Clara County. Boyer, a Dublin resident, worked as a paramedic for the county since 2008, with a stellar reputation on the job. "He was loved by everybody. He was a great paramedic and amazing caregiver," Hubbell said. "It's not just a loss for EMS, but a true loss for the community he served." The statement from Boyer's family says they will "miss him terribly and will never be the same." Boyer, the family said grew up in Oakland and graduated from Sonoma State University, the Santa Rosa Fire Academy and the Foothill Paramedic Program. He had recently been accepted into the physician's assistant program at Stanford. Boyer was also a Big Brother and a volunteer at the Order of Malta clinic in Oakland. According to Oakland police, Boyer had taken his father to a doctor's appointment Tuesday morning and was stopped at Keller Avenue and Hansom Drive around noon when someone pulled up alongside and shot him in the head at point-blank range. Boyer accelerated and his Honda Civic went over a median strip and crashed into a ravine, police said. Emergency crews rescued him and rushed him to the hospital, but he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon. Police have been tight-lipped about the shooting, including possible motives and suspects and a car description. Whether he was targeted or attacked at random also remains unclear. The stretch of Keller is typically isolated during the time of day when he was shot. Boyer is the second Santa Clara County paramedic to be the victim of a high-profile attack in as many years: Bryan Stow was savagely beaten outside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles after the 2011 opening-day game between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Stow suffered severe brain damage and continues to receive treatment. Meanwhile, grief counselors have been made available to the Santa Clara paramedic crew, but even in this time of mourning, duty calls. "You can't just shut down for the day. It's tough, but we're surrounded by amazing professional people who recognize the dedication to the field and what they do," Hubbell said. "They're committed to ensuring the safety and well being of the community." Boyer's family thanked Highland Hospital, where he was taken after being shot. "We are humbled by the love and support shown by our extended EMS family, including hospital staff, police, sheriff departments, fire departments, and of course the paramedics and EMTs," the family said. "We consider you all our brothers and sisters." There is a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Anyone with information can contact Oakland police at 510-238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572 or 510-777-3211. Contact Robert Salonga at 408-920-5002. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga. ___ ©2013 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

Medics look after babies and we support parents ; IN THE FOURTH OF OUR SERIES ON LEICESTER'S NEONATAL TEAM, HEALTH CORRESPONDENT CATHY BUSS HEARS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE POORLY BABIES' PARENTS While doctors and nurses at the neonatal unit focus their attention on the medical needs of the tiny patients, there is also someone looking out for the parents. Lesley Meachem has been a family support worker for about six years - first at Leicester Royal Infirmary and now at Leicester General Hospital. She is one of three people whose job is to give help and support to the parents of some of the 1,000-plus babies who are born prematurely or need specialist care each year at Leicester's hospitals. It is a part-time job and she is paid by the Leicestershire charity Adapt. Lesley said: "I love it. I love talking to the parents and helping them. SPECIAL CARE "The medical team is there for the baby but I am there for the parents. "There are three of us who are family support workers. I am based in the special care baby unit at Leicester General Hospital, while there is a colleague at Leicester Royal Infirmary and one working in the community." As well as providing support to parents whose children are in hospital, the charity runs a number of parent and baby groups, including one on the first Wednesday of every month at the neonatal unit at the infirmary. Lesley said: "It is always a great success and it gives parents with babies on the unit the chance to meet up with those who have come through the experience. "People think we are part of the unit, but the charity pays for us and, with the committee, we raise all the money ourselves." One of the first things Lesley, a former neonatal nurse, does when a new patient arrives is to introduce herself. She will then give the parents a specially-made baby pack. It includes an emergency supply of little nappies, a teddy bear and knitted comforters. Lesley said: "It is all about letting them know we are there. "Not everyone needs support but we can help just by being there as someone parents can talk to, and we can help those, for example, needing financial help. "It can be difficult at times. We support parents whose babies don't make it. "Then there are those we get to know very well because often the babies can be on the unit for weeks, even months. "The over-riding joy is when we see the babies go home and I am still in touch with some of the parents I have known for five or six years. "One of the most wonderful things we do is host a Christmas party. Some people come back year after year and it is lovely to see the families in more normal situations." Lesley, who is married with two grown-up sons, is the first to admit the charity is now part and parcel of her life. Her garage is full of things that have been collected and will be sold to raise money for the charity. The 53-year-old, who lives in Birstall, said: "I totally take the job home with me. "We all help to raise funds and Adapt is part of all our lives and there is so much support between members." To donate to Adapt or for more information, go to the Facebook social media site at: www.facebook.com/ADAPTPREM www.prembabies.co.uk Was your baby cared for by the neonatal team? You can leave a message of thanks at: www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk We will print as many as we can in the paper and online. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

SAO PAULO, April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Stiff competition has impelled several companies to look for cost reduction methods particularly in terms of energy consumption, leading to the development of energy management systems (EMS) in Brazil. Regulatory changes tostimulate production and revive the economy have added to the need to manage energy use and lent momentum to the EMS market in the country. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http:// www.energy.frost.com), Opportunity Analysis of the Energy Management Services in Brazil, finds that the market earned approximately $697.3 million in 2012 and estimates this to reach $1,164.5 million in 2017. Brazil was ranked fourth in the world for number of sustainable buildings. The rising demand for sustainability and added value in the country is driving the number of registrations for energy labels and certifications, necessitating the adoption of EMS. The Brazilian labeling program for electrical equipment and buildings will also spur market revenues. "The current Brazilian contracting model requires power consumption levels to be stated in advance, and the customer is fined if actual utilization exceeds the estimated value," said Frost & Sullivan Energy and Environmental Leader Juliana Passadore. "Therefore, energy-intensive industries and commercial building owners are turning to EMS to prevent excessive consumption." Sustainable and certified infrastructure for events such as the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, and homes for the poor built through construction programs, will boost the country's EMS market. Government regulations for peak and off-peak tariffs as well as mini and micro electricity generation will intensify customer concern on energy consumption and aid uptake. Despite these growing concerns on saving energy, however, awareness on energy costs and regulations remains low and reduces market potential. Certain EMS vendors' lack of qualification and the poor services they offer have given rise to the perception that the market as a whole is unprepared or unqualified, further curbing market value. "EMS providers need to improve their technical and managerial capabilities and provide quality services to widen their customer base," noted Passadore. "Access to capital and partnering with well- known brands will be crucial to stay competitive." Small- and medium-sized competitors will look to stand apart by catering to niche segments such as the residential and commerce sectors. If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an email to Francesca Valente, Corporate Communications, at francesca.valente@frost.com, with your full name, company name, job title, telephone number, company email address, company website, city, state and country. Opportunity Analysis of the Energy Management Services in Brazil is part of the Energy & Power Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan's related research services include: Latin America Large Hydro Turbine Market, Natural Gas Power Plant Market in Brazil, Peruvian and Uruguayan HV Transformer Market, Mexican Solar Power Market, Southern Cone Wind Turbine Markets, Power Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Brazil, and Brazilian Distribution Energy Losses Management, among others. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure. The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation. The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation Opportunity Analysis of the Energy Management Services in BrazilNBDA-14 Contact:Francesca ValenteCorporate Communications - Latin AmericaP: +54 11 4777 5300F: +54 11 4777 5300E: francesca.valente@frost.com http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Originally published by Frost & Sullivan. © 2013 PRNewswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Ildefonso Ortiz, The Monitor, McAllen, Texas April 4--EDINBURG -- The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office arrested a man accused of assaulting his girlfriend and then ramming an ambulance as it transported her to the hospital. At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies were called to the area of Farm-to-Market Road 490 and FM 493 in the Hargill area, where a woman apparently had been assaulted by her boyfriend, said Cmdr. John Montemayor of the Sheriff's Office. As she was being transported to a local hospital, the man caught up to the ambulance and rammed it several times with a gray sedan. He then fled before deputies arrived. After she arrived at the hospital for treatment, deputies were able to arrest the man, who was in the parking lot of Edinburg Regional Medical Center. -- Ildefonso Ortiz covers courts and law enforcement for The Monitor. He can be reached at iortiz@themonitor.com and (956) 683-4437 or on Twitter, @IldefonsoOrtiz. ___ ©2013 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Visit The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) at www.themonitor.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

THE Cornwall Air Ambulance is not for sale, the charity behind the lifesaving helicopter said this week. The message from the organisation's chief executive Paula Martin follows news that the search and rescue (SAR) operation at RNAS Culdrose in Helston is to come to an end as an American firm takes over the contract. She said the charity has been inundated by people coming into its fundraising shops concerned that the organisation has been taken over by Bristow, as part of the SAR contract. "The Cornwall Air Ambulance is now, and will always be, funded by the people of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, for the people of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly," Mrs Martin said. "It is unfortunate that the news came out within days of our own service improvement announcement, which will see two new air ambulances serving Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, plus the introduction of night flights from December 2014. "I would like to reassure people that we are, and always will be, an independent charity, funded by and for the people of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly." Mrs Martin explained that the two operations are quite different. While the air ambulance relies on the generosity of the public for donations the search and rescue service is funded by central gover nment. She added: "Operationally search and rescue uses very large helicopters equipped with winches. "They are traditionally called upon for largescale missions at sea and around the coast, as well as mountain rescues and searches. "We, on the other hand, provide vital, airbased, rapid response paramedic and ambulance services to Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. "SAR also covers a huge geographical area from Cornwall and can be deployed anywhere in the UK, whereas we are here just for the people of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. "Obviously there are similarities between the two operations, we both use helicopters for a start, but we can launch and land far quicker than the big aircraft and also set down in really confined spaces that the larger aircraft can't." A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

Ambulance bosses are investigating why it took four hours to respond to a call involving a woman who later died from a drugs overdose. They are also looking into an incident involving someone who attempted to hang themselves at a magistrates' court. They later died. They are two of 27 investigations being carried out into serious incidents across the East Midlands. The first, in February, involved a 61-year-old woman who was reported to have taken a drugs overdose, but an ambulance crew did not reach her for four hours. An inquest into her death is to be held in the future. The second incident, last December, involved a patient who tried to hang themselves at a magistrates' court. In a report, Karen Glover, Emas' director of nursing and quality, said the crew which responded to the call had inserted a breathing tube - to help revive the patient - down the patient's oesophagus, instead of the wind pipe. The report states there were 53 serious incidents in which 13 people died between April 1 last year and the end of February this year. In a statement, Emas said: "In the year to date, Emas crews have responded to more than 550,000 emergency calls. "The number of serious incidents reported equates to 0.009 per cent, or a serious incident every 10,377 jobs." He said staff are encouraged to report incidents "so we can learn from near-miss, as well as actual harm incidents, and action can be taken to avoid any future harm". The spokesman said: "We proactively publish this type of detail in order to be a transparent organisation which can learn from mistakes and accidents. "Many of the incidents in question relate to a delayed response to 999 calls. "Our Being the Best plans will help improve the speed at which we respond." Dr Mike Pepperman is a former member of the health watchdog, the Leicester Local Involvement Network, which has been replaced by Health Watch. He said: "Any incident is unfortunate and no-one wants them. However, the most important thing is that staff report any incident and it is investigated. "It is also important that each is looked at as critically as it can be." Zuffar Haq, of the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel, said: "I am very worried about some of these incidents and poor performance." He encouraged people to speak up if they experienced poor performance. He said: "They should complain if they find that they feel the service isn't getting to them on time." A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Thomas Prohaska, The Buffalo News, N.Y. April 4--LOCKPORT -- The Common Council voted unanimously Wednesday to hire MultiMed Inc. of Baldwinsville as the city's ambulance billing firm, for a fee of $35,000 for the rest of this year. Ambulance bills are the city's largest source of nontax revenue, with bills sent directly to insurance companies. Many are not paid in full, leaving the person who was transported to pay the balance. MultiMed's job will be to increase the amount the insurer pays directly to the city. "We feel we can make a little more money, and we can use Barb's talents elsewhere," said Alderman Patrick W. Schrader, referring to Barbara Parker, the Fire Department employee who does the billing. Mayor Michael W. Tucker said a position will be created in the city accounting office for Parker, where she will concentrate on utility billing. "Medical billing is becoming very complicated," said Schrader, D-4th Ward. "It's best to have a company that understands it." On another topic, the Council named Harry Williams, an employee of Girasole-Penale Appraisal of Niagara Falls, as the city's acting assessor for the next 15 months. Last month, the Council hired Girasole-Penale on a $53,100 contract for 15 months of assessment services after the retirement of part-time City Assessor Joseph Macaluso. Williams will remain a Girasole-Penale employee and will not receive extra money from the city, according to R. Charles Bell, director of planning and development. "He'll be here at least once a week. Up until June 1, maybe two or three times a week," Bell said. June 1 is the day the tax roll must be completed. It will be Williams' task to sign the roll. Another new hire approved Wednesday was Joseph Cassenti of Lockport, who was named the city's information technology assistant, to replace the retired Peter Sharkey. Cassenti, like Sharkey, will have a half-time job for $17,500 a year, Tucker said. City Clerk Richelle J. Pasceri said Cassenti, who runs his own computer assistance firm, will not have to quit that business. The Council also received Tucker's appointments of five members to the License Revocation Board, whose job is to enforce the city's requirements for construction contracts to obtain city licenses and permits for work within the city limits. Whether a company's license to work in Lockport is revoked has nothing to do with the quality of its work, Deputy Corporation Counsel David E. Blackley said. "It's not a Better Business Bureau," he added. The board, dormant for years, will include Chief Building Inspector Jason Dool; Alderman Kenneth M. Genewick, R-5th Ward; and city residents Brian Bull, James M. Palladino and Daniel Sheehan. email: tprohaska@buffnews.com ___ ©2013 The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) Visit The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) at www.buffalonews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

'Keeping sick babies alive is hard. In the back of a moving ambulance, it's even harder' ; IN THE THIRD OF OUR SERIES ON LEICESTER'S NEONATAL TEAM, CATHY BUSS A day does not go by without the phone ringing for a very special ambulance. MEETS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE CENTRE FOR NEONATAL TRANSPORT [Edition 2] At the end of the line is a doctor requesting transport to move some the smallest and sickest babies from one hospital to another. In charge of the Centre for Neonatal Transport is nurse consultant Andy Leslie. He heads the team which is based at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Nottingham City Hospital. Three teams are on duty each day, while there is one team working at night. Andy, 48, has been a neonatal nurse for 25 years - the past three as nurse consultant. He said: "There is great satisfaction in doing a good job. "The sense of difficulty and alienation that families go through when their baby is born early or is very sick is difficult. "It is good to be able to help people through that. "It is very satisfying to be able to care for not just our little patients, but for their families as well." The specialist neonatal transport service was set up in April 2010 to provide cover for 14 neonatal units in East Midlands and part of the West Midlands. Andy said: "It is so much better now we have a dedicated service. "Before that, whoever was available would go out in an ambulance but, of course, that meant taking away staff from the neonatal unit where they were working. "It was a problem right across the country." The dedicated teams now transport between 1,200 and 1,300 babies a year. The service, hosted by Leicester's hospitals, costs about Pounds 1.7 million a year to run. Andy said: "About two-thirds of the babies are going back to hospitals nearer their homes after specialist treatment, while the others are transported between hospitals for specialist tests." The ambulances which transport the babies are each fully kitted out to cater for the poorly young patients. There are four fully-equipped transport trolleys and a specialist doctor and specialist nurse travel with each patient. Each trolley is about the same size as an ordinary ambulance trolley but contains all the equipment which is needed to look after a very sick child. The equipment includes infusion pumps so medication can be carried out intravenously, monitors so that all the patient's vital signs can be continuously watched and a ventilator to help them breathe. Andy said: "It is all the intensive care equipment you need to look after the patient. "Keeping sick babies needing intensive care alive is hard to do. Doing it in the back of an ambulance which is moving is even harder. "Keeping them warm is difficult at the best of times, but moving them into an ambulance on a cold night presents even more challenges. "The service we now provide is fantastic." Was your baby cared for by the neonatal team? You can leave a message of thanks at our website. We will print as many as we can in the newspaper and online. www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk FACTFILE: ONE IN 10 BABIES NEED TEAM'S EXPERT CARE ABOUT 1,200 babies were treated by the neonatal team in Leicester last year. There were 750 admissions at Leicester Royal Infirmary and 450 at Leicester General. Babies treated include the premature and those who suffer complications at birth. About one in 10 babies will need the care and expertise of the team. Some will be on the unit for a day or two, others spend months being cared for. The Pounds 9.3 million unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, which is the lead neonatal centre in the region, opened in September 2010. "It is so much better now that we have a dedicated service" Andy Leslie A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Anonymous The Post's reports on EMS techs who post pictures of patients and comments about them online. Let's hear it for the good technicians of New York's EMS ("Sick Vic Pics," March 31). The cruel and shameful actions of some EMTs should not distract us from the respectful and compassionate work they do. After I fell between the subway platform and the train, the two EMTs who carried me up the subway steps and took me to the emergency room were calming, careful and caring. I'd love to see exemplary EMTs like those two get the positive attention they so rightly deserve. Beth Goehring Manhattan What these men and women see day in and day out gives them a pass on this petty garbage The Post exposed. Color, religion or IQ would not mean a thing if your life was on the line. Aggravating these fine people is akin to pissing off your waiter. Tom Freer Stamford Medics are not EMTs. They are paramedics, and they have a much more extensive and rigorous education in medicine than technicians, who take a shorter course. They both perform a vital service in EMS. Regardless, this behavior is disgusting. But the vast majority of the city's emergency workers are good and caring people, no matter what their title is or what branch they work for. Linda Oman Ronkonkoma © 2013 The New York Post. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Clay Bailey The unanimous vote by the Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen this week means Fire Chief John Selberg will do something that city officials and fire chiefs have wanted for at least two decades - run an ambulance service in Germantown. Tightened budget numbers and growing suspicions about what the new county contract actually would offer in service levels convinced aldermen to approve the city getting into the ambulance business this summer. Emergency personnel from the suburb now will not only answer emergency calls and treat patients at the scene, but will also stay with them as the patient is transported to the hospital. "It really means a lot to those guys out there on the trucks that provide that day-to-day medical care to know that now they get to do it all the way through," Selberg said of the decision. "That means a lot to them." Germantown will become only the second suburb to operate its own ambulances. Bartlett has provided service since the mid-1970s. Arlington, Collierville, Lakeland, Millington and unincorporated Shelby County are served by the county contract. Under the county contract, current ambulance service vendor Rural/ Metro arrives on a Germantown scene as city paramedics treat patients, and then in most cases, hand them off to the private company for transport. The contract with Rural/Metro expires at the end of June, and county officials are looking at several service options and vendors to provide the service in the upcoming fiscal year. Aldermen initially split 3-2 against city-run ambulances in February, citing tough economic times and the looming cost of municipal schools if Germantown starts its own school system. After that vote, however, Germantown officials learned the county was considering a different service model, where ambulances would be stationed at various locations based on call history and demand. Selberg told aldermen earlier this month the new concept would mean only one private ambulance in Germantown's city limits during the day and none at night - a plan quickly revised to have an ambulance in Germantown around the clock. But aldermen like John Drinnon, who supported in-house ambulances all along, expressed concerns about trusting the county to follow Germantown's request for the same number of ambulances currently serving the city. "The concern for me also was when we have this demand-based system come about where we (could) lose possibly one ambulance during the day and one at night," said Alderman Forrest Owens, who initially voted against the idea. "That level of service was unacceptable to me." That led all three of the previous opponents to city-run ambulances - Owens, Rocky Janda and Mike Palazzolo - to switch their votes in favor of the ambulance business, several with the caveat that if financially the idea didn't work, they would revisit it. Under the city's proposal, Germantown would have two ambulances staffed around the clock, and two others in reserve status. Selberg, in a March 13 memo to City Administrator Patrick Lawton, said the goal is to have response times under 7 minutes 90 percent of the time. Among the startup costs is the purchase of four ambulances for $528,000. While the initial annual cost is shown as about $2 million, part of that is offset by existing personnel and operating costs, plus the city's share of the county ambulance contract. Germantown also is projecting about $762,000 in revenues for the first year. "The anxiety I've had is gone," Selberg said of trying to get Germantown ambulance service. "Now the work begins. But we don't mind the work." Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy said the decision allows the department to provide full service to residents, particularly in medical emergencies. "I'm not certain the public fully understands that for all that we associate the fire department with those big red trucks and those uniforms, that the primary responsibility and role of our personnel in Germantown is as emergency medical responders," Goldsworthy said. "That's the largest number of calls, far and away, and it's an increasing number of calls. " So it seems very logical and reasonable that this final loop in the manner in which people who are either seriously ill or have been injured, that those who first respond continue their care all the way to the emergency department." Originally published by Clay Bailey bailey@commercialappeal.com 901-529-2393 . © 2013 Commercial Appeal, The. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

PLAINS, Kan., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas-based internet retailer of firefighting gear and more, Envision Solutions LLC, has significantly increased its inventory at www.Fire-Gear.net. The online store offers competitively priced brand names including Cairns, 5.11 Tactical, Under Armour, Fire-Dex, Bullard, Shelby, Ringer and many more. Company owner and 10-year firefighter Justin Swank explains, "As firefighters, we are well aware of what fellow professionals are in need of. Departments don't always provide their men and women with complimentary essentials, and volunteer firefighters often need to source their own gear. If your department does provide you with all of the necessary gear, you may simply be in search of better- fitting boots or gloves. It was important to us to offer professionals a vast array of trusted brand name products." Swank founded the Company in 2011, and initially offered firefighting professionals a large selection of equipment and gear including lights, breathing products, apparel, boots, nozzles, rescue products, and hoses. In the past few months, Fire-Gear.net has been working to significantly expand its inventory and now offers rescue gear, duty wear, EMS supplies and wildland fire gear for professionals with other job types such as policemen, emergency medical service workers, and wildlife officials. Swank added, "Firefighters aren't the only ones in need of protective gear. For example, there are a lot of rural areas in this country prone to brush fires; having the appropriate firefighting gear benefits whoever arrives on scene first, whether it's a park ranger, policeman or emergency professional. Having the equipment or gear to better protect people and property could make a very big difference in the outcome of a situation." Fire-Gear.net will continue to expand its inventory in the upcoming year based on customer demand. Thus far, the Company has had a really good response to introducing police tactical gear and items for EMS professionals. For more information on this store and its recently expanded inventory, visit www.Fire-Gear.net. SOURCE Envision Solutions LLC Originally published by Envision Solutions LLC. © 2013 PRNewswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By LISA SMYTH DOCTORS have hit out at plans to implement a non-emergency telephone number in Northern Ireland -- claiming it could put lives at risk. It comes as health bosses in England press ahead with the controversial NHS 111 number -- due to go live today despite repeated warnings by doctors there. In July last year, the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the Health Minister, Edwin Poots (right), wants to roll out the scheme here as part of Transforming Your Care (TYC). The new number is intended as an alternative to the 999 number for people who require urgent medical help but whose lives are not at risk. A spokeswoman from the Health & Social Care Board has confirmed the proposals are part of a number of initiatives aimed at simplifying access for patients but stressed that the final decision would be down to Mr Poots. However, the body representing doctors in Northern Ireland has raised serious concerns with health officials over any attempts to recreate the NHS 111 here. The British Medical Association (BMA) has written to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety a number of times over the past six months to warn it of the dangers of implementing NHS 111 here. In England, pilot schemes of the NHS 111 line have experienced a series of life-threatening mishaps, including patients being unable to get through to an operator or waiting hours before getting a call back with the health information they have requested. Dr Tom Black, chair of the BMA's Northern Ireland GP committee, said: "At the moment, the people answering the phone on NHS 111 are working off a script on a computer, which is hardly good patient care. "We believe it could result in someone having a heart attack not getting the help they need while someone with a minor cut, who doesn't need medical attention, is being dealt with." In England, the BMA has written to the chief of the NHS asking him to delay the launch of NHS 111. Dr Laurence Buckman, chair of the BMA's GP committee, said: "We cannot sacrifice patient safety in order to meet a political deadline for the launch of a service that doesn't work properly. "The chaotic mess now afflicting NHS 111 is (...) potentially placing patients at risk. "If someone calls NHS 111 they need immediate, sound advice and not be faced with any delay." story so far Health Minister Edwin Poots wants to address the waiting times in our A&Es and has spoken in the past about the possibility of introducing NHS 111 here. The idea is that it would free up paramedics and reduce the strain on A&Es but doctors believe it would result in a greater number of people expecting medical attention when none is required. Originally published by BY LISA SMYTH HEALTH CORRESPONDENT lsmyth@belfasttelegraph.co.uk. © 2013 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Paul Walsh, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) March 30--A drunken woman chomped down and broke a paramedic's finger during a late-night ambulance ride, leading to felony charges against her. Elanna L. Ostertag, 21, of Minneapolis, was charged Thursday in Hennepin County District Court with third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. She remained jailed Friday in lieu of $20,000 bail. The bite on the paramedic's right index finger, inflicted early Wednesday, was so severe that it broke the fingernail and the bone, police said. The nail had to be removed, and the paramedic's hand was placed in a cast. The paramedic, taken off duty while he heals, will have to undergo a regimen of antibiotics and tests for disease. According to the criminal complaint: About 1:30 a.m., paramedics from Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and police responded to a report of a woman slumped in a vehicle near Lake Street and Harriet Avenue S., her head out the window and vomit on the street near the car. They found Ostertag slumped unconscious and her head resting on the steering wheel. Found to be extremely drunk, Ostertag was transported to HCMC in an ambulance. Ostertag regained consciousness on the trip and became angry at the paramedics and began spitting at them. A spit hood was put on her head, but she tried to remove it. As a paramedic attempted to replace the hood, she bit his finger. Paul Walsh --612-673-4482 ___ ©2013 the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By BRAD HAMILTON POST EDITORIAL: PAGE 26'The Post is not about to be intimidated by lowlifes whose idea of defending EMS Lt. Timothy Dluhos is to speculate about the grisly death of a female reporter or refer to her with vulgarities.' Racist friends and colleagues of the "Bad Lieutenant" are threatening the life of a Post reporter since she revealed the FDNY worker's secret Twitter account, where he belittles women, blacks, Jews and Asians. EMS Lt. Timothy Dluhos broke down in tears when reporter Candice M. Giove confronted him about his account, where his profile picture is of Hitler and he called Mayor Bloomberg "King Heeb." But his vile supporters saw nothing wrong with a city worker's hate speech and instead unleashed a string of death threats, racial abuse and vulgar insults against Giove. "Please die in a car fire," @misterfriction spewed in a March 26 tweet. "Hopefully you're pregnant when it happens." "I hope you get raped and murdered or sumthin," posted @ElChiprucabra. Offered @Oozypoo: "I would love to read . . . that you caught on fire, and they put you out with a hatchet." Several used profanity, including the "c" word, in a stream of gutter jabs. "I hate this bitch more than anything right now," railed @Creepyphuquer. "I've been barraging her since Sunday," bragged @GingerDemoness. Dluhos has been suspended without pay from his $93,561-a-year, taxpayer funded job at EMS Station 57 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, after a Post investigation found he was tweeting about his job under the pseudonym Bad Lieutenant. He posted messages like "f-- ken chinks can't drive" and bragged about his Nazi memorabilia. One reader, identifying himself as Ryan Collins, wrote in to the paper, saying that reporters were likely to be physically attacked, then threatened, "Just hope you don't need ems when it happens." On Wednesday night, Footer and P-Rock, hosts of an online radio program called "The Red Show," poured out their admiration for Dluhos. "I love him," gushed P-Rock. "He's a brave motherf--ker, but in the end he's going to come out fine . . . He's been cornered as a racist, and that's not true. Tim's our guy." "The guy's getting railroaded here," remarked Footer. Dluhos called in to thank the radio show for its support. The two hosts then took pot shots at Giove. "Like I said to that dumb c---, 'He's out there saving lives!' " said Footer. Then the hosts tried to guess the reporter's ethnicity: "For me she looked a little yellow, like Middle Eastern. I don't think she should be allowed to carry a backpack." On another online radio show, LustNLove Radio, the female host said, "I pray to God the day doesn't come when this girl's crossing the street and she gets hit by a f--king bus in the f--king head." Meanwhile, listeners offered their own support in a chat room for "The Red Show" that appeared to include Dluhos (as "Tim BOOM") and some of his Twitter pals. Posted Lyle: "Hey Tim . . . real nigs see who you are through that c---'s article." Asked by The Post if he would respond to the scandal, Dluhos wrote, "I can't." But he added: "My wife wants to KILL me right now." Originally published by BRAD HAMILTON. © 2013 The New York Post. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Paul Walsh, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) March 29--A drunken woman chomped down and broke a paramedic's finger during a late-night ambulance ride to the hospital, leading to felony charges against the suspect. Elanna L. Ostertag, 21, of Minneapolis, was charged Thursday in Hennepin County District Court with third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. Ostertag remains jailed Friday in lieu of $20,000 bail. The bite on the paramedic's right index finger, inflicted early Wednesday, was so severe that it broke the fingernail and the bone, police said. The nail had to be removed, and the paramedic's hand was placed in a cast. The paramedic, taken off-duty while he heals, will have to undergo a regimen of antibiotics and testing for disease that might have been contracted because of the bite, police added. According to the criminal complaint: At about 1:30 a.m., paramedics from Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and police responded to a report of a woman slumped in a vehicle near W. Lake Street and Harriet Avenue S., her head out the window and vomit on the street near the car. They found Ostertag slumped unconscious and her head resting on the steering wheel. Found to be extremely drunk, Ostertag was transported to HCMC in an ambulance. Ostertag regain consciousness on the trip and became angry at the paramedics and began spitting at them. A spit hood was put on her head, but she tried to remove it. As a paramedic attempted to replace the hood, she bit the paramedic on the finger. Paul Walsh --612-673-4482 ___ ©2013 the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Ziva Branstetter, Tulsa World, Okla. March 28--STROUD -- EMSA board members voted Wednesday to disqualify one of three companies vying for the agency's lucrative ambulance contract, with several board members voting against the move out of concerns about the fairness of the process. The board voted 6-3 to disqualify Rural/Metro Corporation -- a publicly held company that is reportedly the nation's second-largest ambulance provider -- from seeking EMSA's five-year ambulance contract. The action leaves AMR and Paramedics Plus the remaining contenders. Rushed Ed Shadid: He said a vote to disqualify a company bidding on EMSA's ambulance contract was done too hastily. "I will echo some concerns that I am asked to digest all of this in an hour and make a binding, final vote," said Dr. Ed Shadid, a board member of EMSA and an Oklahoma City Council member. The company said in a statement that it is "evaluating all of our options for moving forward." "Rural/Metro is a respected national leader in private ambulance and fire protection services in 21 states and nearly 700 communities from coast to coast. We are shocked by the outcome and disregard of process in today's EMSA meeting," The vote came after board members discussed financial details of the three companies in an executive session. One board member said he was concerned should the meeting later be found illegal. "I do not want to find ourselves in the position where we could be violating the Open Meeting Act," said trustee Phil Lakin, also a Tulsa city councilor. The Emergency Medical Services Authority is a government agency that supervises a contractor providing ambulance service to more than 1 million people in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and surrounding suburbs. Paramedics Plus, based in Texas, has contracted with EMSA since 1998 to provide paramedics. It has a five-year contract, approved by the board in 2008 and signed by EMSA CEO Steve Williamson, valued at more than $150 million. A state audit, prompted by a Tulsa World investigation, raised concerns about possible conflicts of interest between EMSA and Paramedics Plus. Both entities have denied conflicts of interest and the company says it has a compliance audit done every year. The state investigative audit found the company paid for $25,000 of Williamson's travel costs and that Williamson indicated on expense forms the company should be billed for two $400 spa visits. EMSA also allowed the company to avoid paying taxes on $7 million in purchases, including a gambling-themed party, by using its tax-exempt status, the audit found. Williamson told the board that the three companies are "the top three that do this type of work." AMR is a subsidiary of Emergency Medical Services Corp., a publicly held company, and is based in Greenwood Village, Colo. Its website claims it operates in 40 states and 2,100 communities. Rural/Metro, also a publicly held company, has operations in 21 states and 700 communities, according to its website. It is based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Paramedics Plus is a private company created in 1998 as an expansion of the East Texas Medical Center EMS service and EMSA, its website states. It has operations in five communities, including Tulsa and Oklahoma City. On its proposal seeking qualification, the company lists EMSA as its "high performance system" and Williamson as the contact. Williamson told the board it is important to qualify bidders in advance because "this is a practice of medicine." Cities including Tulsa use a similar process for bidding on large projects. "You want to be sure that these proposed bidders don't come in with a cavalier bid and low ball it and it's the patients we serve who suffer," Williamson said. He said he had concerns about Rural/Metro's ability to handle the contract. Officials in Clark County, Ind., placed the company on 60-day notice recently that it was in breach of its contract due to lack of medical supplies, slow response times and other issues, Williamson said. At Williamson's urging, the board viewed an eight-minute video of a meeting showing officials in Indiana discussing their concerns about the company. Board member Clay Bird asked whether it was fair to disqualify Rural/Metro, with hundreds of locations and contracts, based on one contract dispute. "If that is the only contract they've lost over the last five years, that's a pretty good percentage it would seem to me," said Bird, also the chief economic development director for the city of Tulsa. Said Williamson: "To lose one in the middle of a contract is very, very rare." "And we have to make this decision today?" Shadid asked. "Yes," Williamson replied. The companies must submit proposals to EMSA by May 17, he said. A nine-member selection committee will have until July 17 to review the information and select which company it will recommend to the full board, Williamson said. The committee will include members of EMSA's board, city councilors from Tulsa and Oklahoma City and an industry expert Williamson said he would recommend. It will not include EMSA staff, he said, though they may advise the committee, records show. Board Chairwoman Lillian Perryman said she shared Williamson's concerns about Rural/Metro, "even if it's one town." Lakin said it was difficult for him to determine whether the three companies were qualified given the information presented Wednesday. "I've pulled up some articles on some of these companies while we've just been sitting here," he said. "I know you've done some research, but I'm conducting some research here, too." Shadid said he had concerns about Paramedics Plus. "I've expressed from our council serious concerns about our response times. ... What would be the response times for Paramedics Plus under our system if we weren't excluding as much as 25 to 30 percent sometimes?" Williamson responded: "We are not putting Paramedics Plus on trial here." "But we are putting Rural/Metro on trial," Shadid replied quickly. Williamson said Shadid and other board members should review the information provided to board members Wednesday and decide how to vote. EMSA has had the information for at least a month, while board members received it Wednesday, records show. The board typically meets only monthly. The board eventually conducted a series of three votes, with some confusion over what members were voting on. Six board members voted to qualify AMR and Paramedics Plus and to disqualify Rural/Metro, while three voted against disqualifying the company. Voting for the measure were Perryman, Mark Joslin, Larry Stevens, Gary Marrs, Joe Hodges and Charles Foulks. Voting against were Lakin, Bird and Shadid. The company's emailed statement, from Phil Forgione, Rural/Metro Corporation, vice president of national marketing, states: "We do not understand the rush to judge without the Board having the benefit of full details, especially considering the response to the RFP is not due until mid-May, and the system start up is not until Nov. 1, 2013." Open Meeting Act concerns: Before the executive session, EMSA attorney Jim Orbison assured board members they could review the information submitted by the three companies in executive session. "This is sensitive information not allowed to be released to the public. It is both under state and federal law a trade secret," he said. Orbison referred to criminal charges recently filed in Oklahoma County against members of the state Pardon and Parole Board alleging board members violated the act. "I'm sure that's weighing on your mind," Orbison said. He said the law requires such violations to be willful and board members would be protected if they are following the advice of their attorney. The agenda cites a general exemption in the Open Meeting Act that requires another state or federal law to authorize a closed hearing. Orbison said the Open Records Act allowed company financial information to be withheld from the public. In other business, board members viewed a chart provided by EMSA that states the agency has addressed nine out of 19 audit recommendations. EMSA is in the process of making changes to address seven recommendations and has not addressed three recommendations, the chart shows. Audit recommendations EMSA's board voted Wednesday to refer outstanding items from an investigative state audit to board committees. Here is the status of the audit's recommendations: Completed: --Disclose potential financial benefits or conflicts of interest. Board approved addition to code of conduct Feb. 27. --Assess costs and benefits of organizational memberships. Management will provide costs and benefits of such memberships during the annual budget process. --Address potential conflicts with related-party accounts. Policy approved by board Feb. 27 and signed by staff. --Create more committees to address specific issues. Committee structure approved Feb. 27 and members appointed Wednesday. --Enhance financial oversight by reviewing single-item purchases over a certain amount. All disbursements being sent to the board monthly. --Formalize policy whereby the board approves purchases more than $25,000. --Review all of the CEO's expenditures. All expenses are reviewed by the board chair or vice chair. --Enhance expenditure transparency. All checks sent to the board; those more than $10,000 posted on the Web. --Seek legal counsel regarding questionable expenditure practices. Completed and reported to the board. In progress: Properly address potential sponsorships; consider bidding process for collection services; improve address data system; enhance patient outreach; enforce contractual requirements; automate discounts; change expenditure expectations. Not started: Strengthen board attendance policy; adopt policy for formal evaluation of CEO; perform self-assessments. Source: EMSA audit recommendations chart Ziva Branstetter 918-581-8306 ziva.branstetter@tulsaworld.com ___ ©2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at www.tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services OTC:AAMRQ, A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By James Cartledge ROYAL Navy medics are set for a marathon ordeal - running from Birmingham to Plymouth while carrying a stretcher. The two-week, 360-mile challenge will see the team run a marathon distance daily on their journey from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to a recovery centre in the Devon city. They will begin next Thursday s at the QE's Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and raise cash for three charities, including the site's patient welfare fund. They will head to the Ministry of Defence's Headley Court centre in Surrey, which treats recovering injured troops, and finish on April 17 at Haslet Company in Plymouth. The unit, based at HMS Drake, supports wounded, injured and sick, servicemen and women. Led by Lieutenant Jack Nicholson, patient services officer at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, the team will be joined on their last day by Royal Marine and Olympic athlete Chris Sherrington. He represented Team GB at London 2012 as the UK's first heavyweight judoka in 20 years. Jack, who carried out a previous stretcher-carrying challenge in 2010, said: "The aim is to raise awareness and funds for three very important military charities who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for servicemen and women. "The charities are the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine's Patient Welfare Fund, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and Help for Heroes. "As medical personnel ourselves, we felt it was important to highlight the main facilities they support by carrying a stretcher along the route a patient could take from the point of injury to rehabilitation." To meet the challenge, Jack sought advice from physiologists at the Institute of Naval Medicine in Hampshire, which specialises in high-impact activities. The institute's work has included advising Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team. More information is available at www.rnmsstretchercarry.org.uk Originally published by By James Cartledge STAFF REPORTER. © 2013 Evening Mail; Birmingham (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article