EMT City Administrator

Celestica Inc., a provider of end-to-end product lifecycle solutions, announced it has received Frost & Sullivan's 2012 Global EMS Aerospace and Defense (A&D) Company of the Year Award. Frost & Sullivan presented the award to Celestica for demonstrating excellence in a number of areas, including growth strategy and implementation, innovation with products and technology, and leadership in customer value. Frost & Sullivan acknowledged Celestica for its achievements in moving beyond the traditional definition of an EMS provider and emerging as an innovative supply chain solutions partner. Frost & Sullivan's research revealed that Celestica's customer-focused approach, dedicated A&D centers of excellence and ability to evolve with A&D industry dynamics brings its customers true value. "Celestica's position within the EMS market for Aerospace & Defense has been elevated by its ability to truly understand its customers' unique risks and requirements and help them overcome challenges in their marketplace," said Lavanya Rammohan, Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. "Through its dedicated centers of excellence and supply chain expertise, Celestica has been able to create a new level of competitive benchmarking in the EMS A&D market." "We are very proud to accept this award from Frost & Sullivan," said Michael McGuire, Vice President, Aerospace and Defense, Celestica. "This is a reflection of the depth of our A&D knowledge and expertise, as well as ournumber onemarket shareposition for EMS in the A&Dsegment. Our global teams remain focusedoncontinuing to deliver the highest quality and innovative products and solutions that meet our customers most demanding and critical requirements." ((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com)) A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Calvin Men, American News, Aberdeen, S.D. March 27--Tom Henricks posed a question to the state Emergency Medical Association in 2012: If South Dakotans can earn master's or bachelor's degree online, why can't they earn an emergency medical technician certificate online? The question drove Henricks to help start a pilot program that, if successful, would lay the groundwork to allow South Dakotans who want to work on volunteer ambulance crews to take EMT courses online. "If we can pull this off, we have the potential of changing emergency medical services in the state of South Dakota," said Henricks, ambulance director for Faulk County Ambulance Service. Ambulance crews in rural areas usually rely on volunteers to make up their teams because it isn't feasible to hire a full-time ambulance crew, he said. People who want to become volunteers must attend twice-weekly classes in larger cities for three months to learn the emergency responder basics. Henricks referred to classes held in Aberdeen each fall as an example: The classes are from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for three months, he said. Someone who lives in Faulkton -- 60 miles southwest of Aberdeen -- would have to leave by 5 p.m. and would come home at 11 p.m. twice a week for the length of the course, he said. "For most people in this busy world, that's pretty restrictive," he said. Even more difficult is that attendees can miss only two classes. The problem also extends to other rural ambulance crews. "I'm not the only one. Everyone in the state of South Dakota struggles to staff EMT services," he said. An estimated 126 ground ambulance crews in South Dakota, 80 percent of which are volunteers, according to figures from the Office of Emergency Medical Services for the State Department of Public Safety. "Classes are taught by class coordinators that are associated with ambulance services, fire departments and technical schools," said Marilyn Rutz, director for the Office of Emergency Medical Services for the state Department of Public Safety. She added that she hopes the class is successful, leading to the option of other online classes led by other class coordinators being approved. The process began at a district meeting of the state Emergency Medical Association in June, when Henrick brought the idea of a online program. The association officers approved the idea for a pilot, said Keith Sharisky, online educational administrator for the course and a paramedic/firefighter with Aberdeen Fire and Rescue. In his role, Sharisky monitors the students' progress online, respond to questions students have and checks if they pass the tests each week. Students in the course study on their own time and take weekly tests that cover four chapters, with passing grades of at least 80 percent required, Sharisky said. The pilot program was meant just for three people in Faulkton, but other area emergency response groups that had a limited number of volunteers asked to be part of the program. Six students are enrolled in the online course: three from Faulkton, two from Groton and one from Roscoe. The class was purposefully kept small because it was a trial run and coordinators wanted to minimize errors, Henricks said. If the trial of the online course is a success, it would provide the grounds for the state Emergency Medical Association to allow other online courses to be implemented in the state. "If this class is successful, it will allow anybody, anytime, anywhere, within the restrictions the state puts on, to be able to take or operate online classes where students can learn at their own speed," Henricks said. ___ ©2013 the American News (Aberdeen, S.D.) Visit the American News (Aberdeen, S.D.) at www.aberdeennews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

DETROIT (AP) - Several businesses have pledged a total of $8 million to help cash-strapped Detroit pay for a new fleet of emergency vehicles, including 23 EMS units and 100 police cars, to boost public safety and reduce response times, Mayor Dave Bing announced Monday. Racing team owner Roger Penske, who leads Penske Automotive Group and whose Penske Corp. is among the donors, joined Bing at a news conference at City Hall to announce the donation. The other donors are Quicken Loans Inc., General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "Working together we can transform our city," Bing said. The announcement came on the same day bankruptcy attorney and turnaround specialist Kevyn Orr began his first day on the job as Detroit's emergency manager. Orr has taken over the finances of the largest city in the country to come under state oversight. According to Bing, the timing of the announcement was a coincidence. The first new police vehicles are to arrive within two to three months and the EMS units are due to arrive within about four or five months. The donations will enable the city to replace the entire fleet of the Detroit Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services Division. "We can work together and drive positive momentum in our city," Penske said. Other donors include The Kresge Foundation and Platinum Equity LLC, the Mayor's Office said. The announcement was welcomed by the Detroit Fire Department and the Detroit Police Department, which both have aging vehicle fleets. © 2013 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Andrea Bulfinch, Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H. March 27--SOMERSWORTH -- Charles Maymon, regional chief executive officer for American Ambulance Service of New England (AASNE), says recent allegations made by American Medical Response (AMR) claiming intellectual property theft and violation of a noncompete policy are not legitimate. Maymon says the company, regionally based out of Hyde Park, Mass., intends to defend claims brought by the competing ambulance service against four former AMR employees. "The lawsuit is baseless," Maymon said. According to AMR General Manager for New Hampshire and Maine, Chris Stawasz, four individuals are named in the lawsuit, filed in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston, Mass. They are AASNE General Manager and former AMR employee Paul Robidas, AASNE Chief Operating Officer and former AMR New England general manager of 20 years Brendan McNiff, and former AMR employees Christopher Hogan and Ian Bryant. A court clerk confirmed the individuals being named in the suit. None of the claims constitute criminal allegations, Maymon said. Stawasz responded to Maymon's comment of the claims being "baseless" by saying AMR believes them to be completely true and that court documents clearly explain the claims. Stawasz said that due to the ongoing litigation process, he could not comment on why the company believes that or what specific circumstances prompted the suit. The two companies, along with a third, Careplus Ambulance Services, have filed Requests for Proposals (RFPs) with Somersworth, where AMR currently provides services. Maymon said he believes this is just a tactic by AMR to interrupt the RFP process. "The essence of the lawsuit, from our perspective, is to gain a competitive advantage over American Ambulance Service," he said. The current AMR contract will expire June 30. While AMR has its roots in the local community, including the towns of Eliot and Kittery, Maine, AASNE was recently purchased by Scandinavian based company Falck, which, according to the AASNE website, is "deeply rooted in emergency medical services." AASNE was originally founded in 1964 in Florida. AMR is currently also contracted with the cities of Nashua and Manchester. Maymon said that at this point no equipment or materials have been seized from the Somersworth office, which has been operating from its Route 108 location for about six months. AMR is located on High Street in Somersworth. Many of the more than 30 AASNE employees are former staff of AMR. "We're upset by this, undoubtedly," Maymon said. "But we'll take the high road." He said the company will continue to see the RFP process through with the city. ___ ©2013 the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.) Visit the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.) at www.fosters.com Distributed by MCT Information Services OTC:AAMRQ, A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Susan Edelman; Candice M Giove He's a bigot - and a blubbering crybaby. EMS Lt. Timothy Dluhos, 34, uses an image of Hitler for his profile photo and "Bad Lieutenant" as his online name as he spews a barrage of racist, sexist, anti-Semitic and anti-Asian comments. The FDNY boss proudly posed with Mayor Bloomberg during a 2009 ceremony but hatefully calls Hizzoner "King Jew" and "King Heeb" on Twitter. Dluhos, who works at EMS Station 57 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, dropped to the ground sobbing Friday when The Post confronted him outside his Staten Island home. "There has got to be a lot worse out there than me," he insisted. "My life is ruined. Oh, my God," Dluhos wailed. "I'm so sorry." Yet the 12-year EMS veteran, who was promoted to lieutenant in 2006, seemed to delight in these hateful Twitter diatribes: n "I'm going to give up racial insults for Lent," he tweeted Feb. 12. "Jesus that didn't [last] too long. F- -ken chinks can't drive." n While giving what he called a "hood tour" of the Bedford- Stuyvesant area he serves, he posted photos of a housing project, fried-chicken joints and a strip club. "Real nasty place," he tweeted Feb 23. "I've been there." n "Hahaha! I work with the coloreds," he wrote in a Feb. 8 exchange. "For 12 years so that s- -t just run off on me." n "Too bad he didn't have rabies or AIDS and too bad he didn't bite King Heeb's face off," he tweeted on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, recalling when the groundhog Staten Island Chuck nipped Bloomberg at an event at the Staten Island Zoo. n "That's how King Jew sees it. Ban all guns & shootings will go down in NYC. But it's the criminals w/the guns," he ranted Jan. 30. n A gold Nazi-era pin with a German U-boat and a swastika is "my most prized artifact," he boasted on Jan. 30. n "He was a good boy who never done NUFFIN wrong. Unf- -kenreal. He was a perp & died like a perp. Oh well," he tweeted March 14, mocking the grieving mother of Kimani Gray, the 16-year-old boy who was killed by cops in Brooklyn on March 9. n He repeatedly Photoshopped an image of an unnamed black teen - putting a Hitler mustache on one photo and a surgical mask on another with the caption, "I's be a doxter." n "My son thinks he's one of 'those people,' " Dluhos wrote in a caption for a Jan. 29 snapshot of his toddler son wearing pants that sagged below his underwear. n "But at least I know my taxes go to the 'undocumented' citizens and lazy asses who do drugs all day," Dluhos wrote March 15. n "Got an extra shift at my second job. Think this will buy me a new gun," he said, referring to his side gig for Richmond County Ambulance. Photos show a sniper rifle and other firearms stashed in his home. n "I'm really a dirty pervert. I see a girl with tight pants on and my eyes immediately focus on her crotch to look for camel toe," he tweeted March 15. He also posted a photo gallery of naked, obese women. n He captioned a photo of an overweight woman talking with two men on St. Patrick's Day: "I'm gonna get me 2 d- -ks tonight. Good thing I take advantage of the drunk." The bad lieutenant is another black eye for the FDNY, a white- male bastion already under a federal court mandate to become more diverse. It comes less than a week after The Post exposed the vile racist and anti-Semitic tweets posted by Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano's own EMT son. Joseph Cassano, 23, who quit the next day. The Post also revealed that Joseph Cassano and the white sons of other FDNY brass are joining the Emergency Medical Service as a shortcut to land firefighter jobs after the department was forced to hire more women and minorities. The reports sparked an internal FDNY hunt for medics and firefighters spouting hate on social media, The Post has learned. The department's Bureau of Investigations and Trials is poring over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram looking for members' offensive posts, a source said. "They're being proactive," he said. "They're looking to find anything else before the press does." But observers said the agency is up against a widespread, institutional problem. "He is not an isolated case," a retired EMS veteran said. "He's a symptom of a sick system. If you work in the city for police, fire or EMS and tell me you're surprised by this, you're a liar." Israel Miranda, president of the union that represents EMTs, said his 3,500 members "do not condone the behavior or messages alleged. Our work force is one of the most diverse in city government." The union has warned its members in a newsletter: "Stay off of the social networks! Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram and Blogs! Enough said!" After breaking down Friday, Dluhos - who made $93,561 in 2011 - tried to explain away his racist rants. "I've seen strangers shot and killed. I've seen families torn apart by violence. It's a damn shame that gang members ruin it for hardworking, struggling people," he cried. He insisted he doesn't hate minorities or Jews. "My stepfather's Jewish," he wept. "I don't hate anybody." The bawling medic, wearing an EMT jacket embroidered with the words "Bad Lieutenant," then left to go to work. "I guess I should go enjoy my last day on the job," Dluhos said. Within hours, his Twitter and Facebook pages were scrubbed and by Friday night they were down entirely. The Post notified the FDNY Friday of the Internet screeds and alerted it that Dluhos had appeared despondent and had previously posted numerous online photos of his arsenal of rifles - he tweeted on Friday morning that he had enough firepower to "arm Haiti." The FDNY told The Post "the matter is under investigation." cgiove@nypost.com Originally published by Susan Edelman and Candice M. Giove. © 2013 The New York Post. 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By Joe Guillen and Gina Damron, Detroit Free Press March 26--A new fleet of ambulances and 100 new police cruisers soon will be on Detroit's streets to reduce crime and improve emergency response times, thanks to an $8-million donation from private businesses, Mayor Dave Bing announced Monday. With 23 new ambulances, the city will replace its entire fleet, which is plagued by vehicles that break down frequently and have more than 250,000 miles on them, officials said. "This is not about downtown; this is not about Midtown; this is about the neighborhoods, so we can go out into these neighborhoods and let our people know that we support them, and we have not forgotten about them," Bing said alongside several business leaders and public safety officials at a news conference. Bing said the donation shows the city and business community are working together to address Detroiters' top concern: crime. The announcement fell on the same day Kevyn Orr, Detroit's new emergency financial manager, started work. Orr was not at the news conference, but he and Bing later met jointly with reporters Monday. The new vehicles will be outfitted with top-of-the-line equipment and should be ready for use in the next two to four months, said Roger Penske, founder and chairman of Penske Corp., the Bloomfield Hills-based transportation services firm. Along with Penske, other companies that contributed include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Chrysler; Ford; General Motors; Quicken Loans; the Kresge Foundation, and Platinum Equity. "We believe these additional vehicles will enhance the visibility of the police and fire efforts in the city of Detroit, improve safety and security in our neighborhoods and have an immediate and lasting impact for everyone who lives, works and plays in our city," Penske said. Images of the vehicles were unveiled at the news conference. The cruisers shown were Dodge Chargers, Ford Tauruses and Chevrolet Caprices. The EMS units shown were Horton Terrastar ambulances. The city will not own the new cars and ambulances, nor will it be responsible for their maintenance. They will be a gift from the corporate community, possibly from the Downtown Detroit Partnership, a nonprofit corporation that helped arrange the donation, said Dave Blaszkiewicz, the partnership's president and CEO. Detroit EMS Chief Jerald James said the new ambulances will be appreciated, as the city's aging fleet requires frequent maintenance. He said the city has 19 ambulances, pushing five or six years old, on the road. Typically, an ambulance would be in service for two or three years before being swapped out, James said. "These vehicles have exceeded their service life," he said. James said the city is "holding them together" as best as it can, doing frequent preventive maintenance. Still, ambulances have broken down and had to be towed back, he said. Ideally, James said, the city would have 25 ambulances on the road full-time. EMS, he said, responds to about 125,000 calls each year. James said public safety vehicles are crucial to reliable emergency services. "Without the vehicle ... there is no public safety at that point," he said. "This is one of the most, if not the most, critical component to providing public safety." Detroit Police Officers Association President Mark Diaz also welcomed the donation. "We're thrilled that the ... private sector is taking an interest in rebuilding the city," Diaz said, adding that the key is ensuring public safety. He said the department is "grossly under-equipped." "Anything helps," Diaz said. Monday's announcement follows a new crime-fighting project unveiled last week called Detroit One, which will consolidate the efforts of Detroit police, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Michigan State Police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to target the worst offenders in Detroit. Three months ago, Bing and top officials announced plans to redeploy 100 more police officers to street patrols as part of a major reorganization of the Detroit Police Department. The vehicle donation comes just after Detroit recorded the highest rate of homicides in nearly two decades. Detroit saw 386 criminal homicides last year that, combined with 25 justifiable homicides, pushed the city to a per-capita homicide rate not seen since 1993. ___ ©2013 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

TORONTO, March 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Celestica Inc. (NYSE: CLS) (TSX: CLS), a global leader in the delivery of end-to-end product lifecycle solutions, today announced it has received Frost & Sullivan's 2012 Global EMS Aerospace and Defense (A&D) Company of the Year Award. Frost & Sullivan presented this award to Celestica for demonstrating excellence in a number of areas, including growth strategy and implementation, innovation with products and technology, and leadership in customer value. Frost & Sullivan acknowledged Celestica for its achievements in moving beyond the traditional definition of an EMS provider and emerging as an innovative supply chain solutions partner. Frost & Sullivan's research revealed that Celestica's customer-focused approach, dedicated A&D centers of excellence and ability to evolve with A&D industry dynamics brings its customers true value. "Celestica's position within the EMS market for Aerospace & Defense has been elevated by its ability to truly understand its customers' unique risks and requirements and help them overcome challenges in their marketplace," said Lavanya Rammohan, Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. "Through its dedicated centers of excellence and supply chain expertise, Celestica has been able to create a new level of competitive benchmarking in the EMS A&D market." "We are very proud to accept this award from Frost & Sullivan," said Michael McGuire, Vice President, Aerospace and Defense, Celestica. "This is a reflection of the depth of our A&D knowledge and expertise, as well as our number one market share position for EMS in the A&D segment. Our global teams remain focused on continuing to deliver the highest quality and innovative products and solutions that meet our customers most demanding and critical requirements." About Celestica Celestica is dedicated to delivering end-to-end product lifecycle solutions to drive our customers' success. Through our simplified global operations network and information technology platform, we are solid partners who deliver informed, flexible solutions that enable our customers to succeed in the markets they serve. Committed to providing a truly differentiated customer experience, our agile and adaptive employees share a proud history of demonstrated expertise and creativity that provides our customers with the ability to overcome any challenge. Celestica Safe Harbour and Fair Disclosure Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are predictive in nature and may be based on current expectations, forecasts or assumptions involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the forward-looking statements themselves. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbour for forward- looking statements contained in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and in any applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or events. You should understand that the risks, uncertainties and factors which are identified in our various public filings at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov could affect our future actions and events and could cause them to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Except as required by applicable law, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE: Celestica Inc. © 2013 Canada Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

DETROIT - Several businesses have pledged a total of $8 million to help cash-strapped Detroit pay for a new fleet of emergency vehicles, including 23 EMS units and 100 police cars, to boost public safety and reduce response times, Mayor Dave Bing announced Monday. Racing team owner Roger Penske, who leads Penske Automotive Group and who's Penske Corp. is among the donors, joined Bing at a news conference at City Hall to announce the donation. The other donors are Quicken Loans Inc., General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "Working together we can transform our city," Bing said. The announcement came on the same day bankruptcy attorney and turnaround specialist Kevyn Orr began his first day on the job as Detroit's emergency manager. Orr has taken over the finances of the largest city in the country to come under state oversight. According to Bing, the timing of the announcement was a coincidence. The first new police vehicles are to arrive within two to three months and the EMS units are due to arrive within about four or five months. The donations will enable the city to replace the entire fleet of the Detroit Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services Division. "We can work together and drive positive momentum in our city," Penske said. Other donors include The Kresge Foundation and Platinum Equity LLC, the mayor's office said. The announcement was welcomed by the Detroit Fire Department and the Detroit Police Department, which both have aging vehicle fleets. "After years of challenges with aging EMS units that rotate in and out of service, a brand new fleet of ambulances will allow us to provide a higher level of emergency services to Detroit's citizens," Detroit Fire Commissioner Donald Austin said in a statement. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Joe Guillen & Gina Damron, Detroit Free Press March 25--Detroit private business, including the Penske Corporation, will donate $8 million for 23 EMS units and 100 police cruisers to boost public safety and reduce response times, Mayor Dave Bing announced this morning. Roger Penske joined Bing this morning for the announcement, which fell on new emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr's first day. Orr was not at the press conference. Bing said it is a coincidence that the announcement fell on Orr's first day. -- Related: Detroit EFM Kevyn Orr arrives at city hall; protesters head to Cleveland "This is a perfect example of how the business community can work with our city," Penske said. In addition to Penske Corp., the donors are: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Quicken Loans, Kresge Foundation and Platinum Equity. Images of the new vehicles were unveiled at the press conference. The cruisers shown were Dodge Chargers, Ford Tauruses and Chevrolet Caprices. The EMS units shown were Horton Terrastar ambulances. Penske said the cruisers will arrive within 60 to 90 days. The EMS units are expected to arrive in about 120 days. Bing said the vehicles will not be city property. A nonprofit corporation will be formed to lease and maintain them, he said. The lease structure also helps avoid any obstacles as the emergency financial manager starts work today. "Not knowing exactly what's going to happen now that an emergency manager is here, we want to make sure that we don't start mixing assets at this point," Bing said. Detroit Police Officers Association President Mark Diaz welcomed the donation. "We're thrilled that the ... private sector is taking an interest in rebuilding the city," Diaz said, adding that the key is ensuring public safety. He said the department is "grossly under equipped." "Anything helps," Diaz said. He said he couldn't comment on the timing of the announcement, which was made the same day Detroit's new emergency financial manager, Kevyn Orr, started work. Diaz said he hasn't yet had a chance to meet with Orr, but is "cautiously optimistic" and hopes the new emergency financial manager is committed to rebuilding Detroit. The union's main concern, Diaz said, is in regard to collective bargaining rights. He said he hopes Orr recognizes that "the only way ... that the city of Detroit is going to succeed is for public safety to succeed." ___ ©2013 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Joe Guillen, Detroit Free Press March 25--Detroit private business, including the Penske Corporation, will donate $8 million for 23 EMS units and 100 police cruisers to boost public safety and reduce response times, Mayor Dave Bing announced this morning. Roger Penske joined Bing this morning for the announcement, which fell on new emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr's first day. Orr was not at the press conference. Bing said it is a coincidence that the announcement fell on Orr's first day. "This is a perfect example of how the business community can work with our city," Penske said. Images of the new vehicles were unveiled at the press conference. The cruisers shown were Dodge Chargers, Ford Tauruses and Chevrolet Caprices. The EMS units shown were Horton Terrastar ambulances. Penske said the cruisers will arrive within 60 to 90 days. The EMS units are excepted to arrive in about 120 days. ___ ©2013 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Cody Bozarth, Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Ill. March 24--The Illinois Department of Public Health has suspended the paramedic license of Beardstown's acting fire chief after it was found that he was not qualified to possess it. According to a notice of violations from the state, fire chief Darin Paul held a paramedic license, even though he had completed less than 10 percent of the required clinical training hours. Beardstown Mayor Bob Walters said Paul is no longer working for the city's ambulance service as one of its staffed paramedics, but his position with the fire department is not affected. In its notice, the Department of Public Health claims that Paul completed fewer than 50 clinical training hours out of a required 500 hours and, therefore, never legally qualified to sit for an exam to receive a paramedic license. It further claims that Paul pressured or persuaded a subordinate to falsely certify him as having completed the clinical hours. State Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said Paul has requested a hearing, but a date for that hearing has not been set. Walters advised the City Council this past week about the situation. He said Paul has held a paramedic license for two or three years. "From what I've seen, I don't see where he has any grounds to appeal it myself," Walters said. "It's just a requirement. Requires so many hours of training and he didn't do that. ... Might be trying to maintain his basic EMT license." Walters said Paul received some pay from the Ambulance Service when working as an ambulance paramedic, but the pay he received didn't affect the city. "We would have had to pay someone to fill in," Walters said. "We're required to have one licensed paramedic per ambulance to do the work paramedics do." The salary set by the city for Paul in his capacity as fire chief and director of the city's ambulance service would have been the same -- and will remain the same -- because holding a paramedic's license is not a requirement for that job. ___ ©2013 the Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Jacksonville, Ill.) Visit the Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Jacksonville, Ill.) at www.myjournalcourier.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Bob Kalinowski, The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. March 23--The president of the Newport Township ambulance service claims the medic company in neighboring Nanticoke is trying to force it out of business. "I think they are trying to bully us out and take over our territory. That's what I think," Harold DeStefano, president of the Newport Township Firemen's Community Ambulance, said Friday. On paper, the two companies are supposed to be allies in responding to medical emergencies in the adjoining municipalities. But an ongoing internal feud reached a peak this week, as members of the Nanticoke Community Ambulance filed a lawsuit against the Newport ambulance company. The departments have a contract in which Newport's basic life support ambulance company must reimburse Nanticoke's department each time Nanticoke's paramedic unit is utilized for a Newport emergency call. Nanticoke is entitled to receive 40 percent of the total reimbursement of a call. DeStefano does not dispute that his department owes Nanticoke money, but says it is nowhere near the $30,000 claimed in the suit. "We're going to always owe them money. It's like the electric company: even though you paid the bill for the money, you still owe," DeStefano said. Nanticoke officials might not be taking into account that Newport does not get paid for every call, particularly when the patient does not have insurance. "If we get paid -- if we get paid for it -- they are entitled to 40 percent. Sometimes we don't get paid. In the contract, it says if we don't get paid, they don't get paid," DeStefano said. Nanticoke's lawsuit claims it has not received a reimbursement from Newport since June 2011. Newport temporarily removed Nanticoke as its first-due paramedic responder in late January because of the feud, instead opting to use Berwick's Medic 95, which has an ambulance based farther away in Shickshinny. Newport Township commissioners quickly changed the protocol back to the way it was after residents complained. DeStefano said the deal with Berwick would have been better because a paramedic would have been stationed in the Newport ambulance headquarters. The transition had not happened by the time officials returned Nanticoke as the first-due medic, he said. "Nanticoke was missing calls. They weren't getting money. And they started screaming," DeStefano said. DeStefano denied claims in the lawsuit that his department refused to let Nanticoke officials review its financial reports. Efforts to reach Bernard Noreika, president of Nanticoke ambulance, were unsuccessful on Friday. DeStefano said his company and Nanticoke ambulance officials had bickered about overdue money in the past. They then reached a payment agreement, he said. Soon after the agreement, Nanticoke immediately put another ambulance in service. That hurt Newport financially because it significantly cut down on the amount of times Newport was called into Nanticoke for basic life support calls, he said. "It's probably better to go through the courts this time than what happened last time," DeStefano said. bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2055, @cvbobkal ___ ©2013 The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) Visit The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at citizensvoice.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

A father whose heart stopped beating three times has personally thanked the "hero" paramedic who saved his life. Mick Smith, a maintenance engineer for DHL at East Midlands Airport, in north west Leicestershire, thought he was going to die when he suffered a major heart attack while at work. He was saved by East Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic Michael Thrift, who carried out CPR and used a defibrillator to help re- start his heart. Mr Smith, his wife, Tracey, and daughter, Evie, met Mr Thrift to say thank you yesterday. "I'm not exaggerating when I say the paramedic is my hero," said Mr Smith. "He gave me my life back." The 44-year-old was at work on October 31 last year, when he became hot and dizzy and started feeling pains in his chest. He went to his work first aider and an ambulance was called. Two of the airport's community first responders were sent to the scene, along with Mr Thrift, who is based in Loughborough. The paramedic, who has 25 years' experience with the ambulance service, realised Mr Smith, from Chaddesden, near Derby, was seriously ill. Moments later, his heart stopped - and it stopped two more times as the emergency workers fought to save his life. Mr Smith, who is now recovering at home following an operation at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital, said: "It all happened too quickly. I went from making my own way to the first aid office to my heart stopping for five minutes and the paramedic having to bring me back to life. "I wasn't meant to be in work that night - it was Hallowe'en and I said I'd take my seven-year-old trick or treating. Then I got a call to fix a problem, so I told my wife I would be back in a couple of hours. I'm glad I went in, as there were people to help me at work and they'd recently got a defibrillator. I don't like to think about what might have happened if I'd collapsed in the street with my daughter there. "The treatment I got from everyone, including the hospitals, has been amazing." Mr Smith was taken to Royal Derby Hospital, where he had surgery to clear a blood clot from an artery and had a stent fitted to keep the blood vessel open. An hour later, he suffered another clot and had to have more surgery. Tests showed there was severe damage to one of the four chambers in his heart, which meant it could stop at any time. In January, doctors at Glenfield Hospital fitted a special device - known as an ICD - which constantly monitors his heart rhythm and can shock it to correct it if there is a problem. Mr Thrift said: "Seconds count when someone has a cardiac arrest," he said. "Mr Smith was lucky as it happened in front of me so I was able to work with the support of community first responders and give him treatment straight away. Everyone should learn first aid for exactly this reason. "For Mr Smith, there was a defibrillator at work and people on the scene who were trained to assist, and that saved his life." "I went from making my own way to the first aid office to my heart stopping for five minutes" Mick Smith A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Clay Bailey Germantown may reconsider a plan to provide its own ambulance service. Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy's administration presented new, lower costs for a city ambulance service to aldermen last week. She plans to provide information on all the city's ambulance options - contracting with Shelby County or a private vendor, or launching a service - to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen without recommendation, and let aldermen make a decision at their March 25 meeting. Goldsworthy, county Mayor Mark Luttrell and Germantown staff members met Friday about the subject. "There's some information out there that is confusing and not exactly on point," Luttrell said before the meeting. "We've got to get that cleared up. The last thing we need is confusion surrounding ambulance service." While Germantown officials re-evaluate the lower numbers provided by the administration to provide city service, they say they need information from the county to compare its ambulance service cost. At the same time, Tom Needham, county Public Works director, says county officials can't calculate their cost and level of service until they know whether Germantown is participating. "It's not figured out, and it won't be figured out until all the entities decide whether they want to be part of the ambulance service or not," said Needham, whose oversight includes fire service. "We're waiting until Germantown decides which way they want to go." Both governments need to make a decision soon because ambulance costs are a factor in annual budgets. The current ambulance contract expires June 30. Unincorporated Shelby County and five of the six suburbs are covered by the county's current contract with private provider Rural/ Metro. Bartlett is the exception. Germantown appeared poised to join the county ambulance contract last month after aldermen voted 3-2 not to fund a city service. Another option was to have a private vendor - American Medical Response - provide the service exclusively for Germantown. After the Germantown vote, the county added a service option that would be based on shifting units according to call volumes. Last Monday, Germantown aldermen were told that instead of having two ambulances housed in Germantown firehouses as is currently the case, there would only be one during the day, and none in the city overnight. Several aldermen said they considered that an unacceptable, lower level of service. But Needham said there is "no downgrading in service at all." He said the private company providing service must still respond to calls inside the various municipalities within 9 minutes 90 percent of the time. "The only thing we've done, is that we've taken ambulances that historically are sitting there and not being used, but we are paying for them to sit there, and we've taken them off the road," Needham said. But he said that after the concerns expressed by Germantown leaders, the vendors agreed to add a second ambulance in the suburb at night. Goldsworthy said there is a benefit to having ambulances stationed in Germantown firehouses. When the suburb's firefighters are dispatched for a call, ambulances in the stations accompany them and don't wait for dispatch through Shelby County. Needham said the county is looking for "the most cost-effective way" to provide the service to all the governments in the county contract, and needs to decide soon. When asked about a timetable for a decision, Needham replied: "We needed to get this done a month ago." Originally published by Clay Bailey bailey@yourappeal.com 901-529-2393 . © 2013 Commercial Appeal, The. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Ashley Luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel March 21--Two people were injured Thursday morning in an ambulance rollover accident, WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) reported.. The accident occurred overnight at N. 27th St. and W. Vliet St. The ambulance was operated by a private company, and the accident did not involve Milwaukee Fire Department equipment, officials told the Journal Sentinel. ___ ©2013 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Visit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at www.jsonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Jeff Strickler, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) March 20--Wayne Schneider estimates that since 1986 he has taught 100,000 people how to perform CPR. Little did he know that one day he would be the one whose life depended on that knowledge. Schneider, a paramedic for Hennepin Emergency Medical Services, was on a recent call tending to a man who had stopped breathing when he himself went into cardiac arrest. His partner, along with several police officers, firefighters and other paramedics, administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation to Schneider for 68 minutes. The average person responds to CPR in 12 minutes, according to an analysis done last year at the University of Washington. "This isn't about me," Schneider insisted. "This is about the people who helped me. This is about people not giving up." Schneider said the whole experience has been a serious reminder of what paramedics call "the chain of survival." After a heart attack, the first link in the chain is bystander CPR. Schneider, who typically works night shifts, teaches civilian CPR classes during the day through his company, First Response Training. Lucky for Schneider, the bystander on that fateful night knew CPR extremely well. Schneider and his partner Greg Booth were on duty Dec. 17 when they got the call. A man had gone into respiratory arrest at a motel in Richfield, but as they drove to the scene, Schneider started to feel strange. "I knew something was going on, but I didn't really know what it was," said Schneider, 56. "I know the symptoms of heart attack inside and out, and I wasn't having those. So I wasn't that concerned." They revived the patient and brought him out to the ambulance. That's when Booth noticed that Schneider was missing. He mentioned the absence to a police officer, who said he saw Schneider walking toward the front of the ambulance and figured he was going to get the usual paperwork. Booth wasn't buying it. They'd been a team for more than two decades, responding to between 1,200 and 1,500 calls a year. "We know how each other thinks," Booth said. "In 22 years, I'd never seen him walk away right in the middle of something like that. I knew something had to be wrong." Ambulance got crowded Schneider knew something was wrong, too, but he still didn't know what. "I remember feeling happy that we had the guy breathing again," he said. "I don't remember feeling pain, but something told me that I had better go sit down." He climbed into the passenger seat of the ambulance cab. That's where Booth found him, slumped over with no pulse. Booth suddenly had two critical patients on his hands. "There was that brief moment when all I could think was: 'What am I going to do now?'?" he said. "I immediately made a 'medic down' call on the radio. And, fortunately, there were still some first responders around -- three firemen and three or four policemen -- so I called for their help." They jockeyed Schneider out of the cab and put him on a backboard. But it was too cold to have him outside, so they took him to the back of the ambulance, where they had to lift him up and over the other patient so they could start CPR. When a second ambulance arrived, Schneider was moved to that one and paramedics Shane Stevens and Jordan Wardell took over his care. He was brought to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), receiving CPR the entire time until cardiologists finally were able to stabilize his heartbeat. Although Schneider delivers patients to all the hospitals in the county, he works out of HCMC, and landing there bolstered his spirits. "When I came to and realized that I was in HCMC, I truly had the sense that I was going to be OK," he said. The next day, doctors told him that the reason he didn't recognize any of the typical signs of a heart attack is that he didn't have a heart attack. "This was brought on by stress," he said. Stress-related health problems aren't unusual for paramedics, said Robert Ball, operations supervisor for Hennepin Emergency Medical Services. One minute they're sitting around talking about the Twins' pitching prospects, the next they're racing up a flight of stairs carrying heavy equipment to a life-or-death situation. "There are sedentary periods where they're not moving, and then suddenly they're thrown into strenuous activity in a high-pressure situation," he said. "Studies have shown that increased pulse rates and blood pressure can last for up to 24 hours after that." The chain of survival As Schneider told his story, he repeatedly tried to turn the conversation away from himself to "the team of people who helped. ... I feel uncomfortable with this being all about me." Ironically for a man who wants to avoid the spotlight, this isn't the first time he's been in it -- literally. When actor Warren Bowles had a heart attack onstage last year at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, it was Schneider who gave him CPR. "We didn't have a choice" of moving him offstage, he said. He tried to ignore the fact that people were watching, "except every now and then I'd look up and see them. And when I said, 'We have a pulse,' they applauded." In addition to CPR, Schneider's company offers classes in first aid and organizes mock emergency drills for hospitals. The number of people taking CPR classes varies, he said. Some weeks there are two classes, other weeks there might be two a day. "We want to make sure that people are taught well," he said. "It increases critical [patients'] survival rates." But talking about his own case also has its upside: It gives him a chance to remind people about the importance of CPR training. "Everybody that was associated with this call understood CPR," he said. "If any of them had given up, I would not be here." Jeff Strickler --612-673-7392 ___ ©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 Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano's son and two other scions of FDNY brass have joined the city's Emergency Medical Services corps, which has been used as an insider's shortcut to becoming a firefighter. EMS members can have first crack at joining the Bravest - and entering the FDNY by that route helps them slide by new minority- hiring rules, critics say. That's because EMS personnel, who are 40 percent minority and already FDNY employees, get priority when the department picks Fire Academy recruits. The entire current class of probies, the first since 2008, all worked for EMS. A federal judge imposed new rules on diversity that put EMS candidates and minorities previously denied admission ahead of "open competitive" applicants. Fire honchos "looked at EMS and said, 'Let's see if we can use it to get the federal government off our backs,' " said one FDNY insider. "But it's also an opportunity to get their family through." Said another source, "They created a side entrance for certain candidates who want more rapid advancement." The newest EMS hires include Joseph Cassano, 23, the commissioner's youngest son, who got a job in December as an emergency medical technician, along with 100 others. He is joined by Paul Jensen, 24, the son of Chief Thomas Jensen, who heads the department's fire-prevention unit, and James Howe, 20, the son of Deputy Chief Richard Howe. In two years, the trio will be eligible to join the FDNY, a job with better pay and more prestige. The starting salary for an EMT is $31,931. Firefighters start at $39,370, with top pay reaching $76,370 in five years. Asked if he planned to join the Bravest, James Howe said, "I'm just taking it step by step. I really like EMS so far." Chief Jensen shrugged off allegations that medical service was a shortcut for family of senior members like himself. "I think it's overblown," he said. Neither of the Cassanos could be reached for comment, but the younger Cassano made his plans clear on Twitter. "Everybody wanna be a firefighter, but don't nobody wanna be a damn EMT," Joseph Cassano tweeted earlier this month. "I hate ems," he tweeted in February. Said FDNY spokesman Frank Gribbon, "There is no shortcut or fast track to becoming an EMT or firefighter because of who you're related to." One source said FDNY leaders often encourage relatives to start at EMS and are in a position to help them get those jobs. "These legacy candidates get looked at by an investigative unit at Fire Headquarters," he said. "They all know Cassano's name. What investigator is going to give [Cassano's son] a bad report?" Critics say the FDNY has watered down its standards after federal judge Nicholas Garaufis found that the department had discriminated against minorities for years. EMS members trying to become firefighters, such as cops or ex- soldiers, earn extra credits automatically. That, in turn, boosts their ranking on FDNY hiring lists. And this year, as in years past, EMS members did not have to score well on a physical test, unlike open candidates. They simply had to pass an obstacle course. Joseph Cassano, who lives with his father on Staten Island, hardly distinguished himself at the EMS Academy. He was one of only five of 101 trainees to fail a basic-vehicle course, which means he's not allowed to drive an ambulance, according to EMS documents. "In the real world, he never would have been hired," said a source. "He got in because he was on the promotional list." brad.hamilton@mypost.com 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 RACHEL OHM Towns tussle with tab for shared ambulance service Expenses rise for Bingham's Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance amid questions about fair cost-sharing. By RACHEL OHM Morning Sentinel BINGHAM - Getting to this small town along the Kennebec River can take some time. About 23 miles north of Skowhegan, it is a half- hour drive up U.S. Route 201, winding along the river on a road other drivers share with logging trucks. [image removed] Caption: Paramedic James Baldwin and EMT Doraine "Dodie" Mathieu for the Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance Service in Bingham. Bingham voters recently rejected a request from the service for about 40 percent of the service's budget for 2013. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel [sidebar] AMBULANCE RUNS, 2012 Bingham: 253 Bowtown: 1 Caratunk: 4 Concord: 13 Embden: 1 Kingsbury: 1 Lake Moxie: 1 Moscow: 44 Pleasant Ridge: 6 Solon: 3 The Forks: 19 West Forks: 30 Transfers: 95 Source: Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance The high school has 66 students, and there are just two restaurants. The town also is the base for the Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance Service, which attends to people in six towns and 11 unorganized townships in northern Somerset County. As in many rural areas in Maine, services such as the ambulance are shared among communities. Trying to figure out how to pay for shared services can be a challenge in rural communities. While facing rising costs, the ambulance service here is considering changing the way it is paid in the communities it serves. Yet because the area's population is so small and spread out, the cost of services is higher than in other local districts. In those areas, services can be shared at lower costs to taxpayers or provided by hospitals or private companies. HIGH COST IN A RURAL AREA Communities that use Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance pay based on their population, with residents in Bingham paying about half the money collected. Some think the way costs are shared is unfair because Bingham has a nursing home, which accounts for many of the calls, and other areas with smaller populations rely on the ambulance service more heavily during tourist seasons. In Bingham, residents recently voted down a request from the ambulance service for $69,990, about 40 percent of the service's total budget, for 2013. Instead, local voters opted at the annual town meeting to give $35,000. As a result, the service has only enough money to operate through June, said Marlene Merrill, president of Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance's board of directors. Bingham First Selectman Steve Steward said: "They provide a good service, but I think many people feel the upper river towns are not contributing what they should be to the cost." In 2012, the service made 253 calls in Bingham, 97 of which came from Somerset Rehabilitation & Living Center, said Tim Pomelow, the service's executive director. "They incorporate that number into Bingham's cost, but there are people from everywhere in that nursing home," Steward said. Other towns rely on the service more heavily during tourist seasons, he said. "About 85 percent of properties upriver are camps. They aren't included in the population, but they still use the service," he said. Steward said the area needs and wants to keep the service, but the cost is too high. In 2012, Bingham contributed $88,544 to the service's annual budget of $214,627, as well as an extra $12,000 to address a financial shortfall. Steward said a special town meeting was held to approve giving the additional $12,000 to the service, which ran out of money at the end of 2011. "They were on the verge of collapse, and we had to bail them out," he said. Merrill said operating costs have increased, primarily because of the prices of fuel, equipment and insurance. The service added 24-hour paramedic coverage in August. Before that, Pomelow said, paramedics had been on duty about 80 percent of the time. The new staff includes one critical-care paramedic, the highest level of care available; three other paramedics, and three emergency medical technicians, he said. "People don't understand that it costs money to have these things. Last year there were some days when there were just no paramedics on duty. Now there is someone there every day," Merrill said. Steward said he likes the service's quality, but the cost seems too high to some residents. (Continued on page 2) 1 | 2 | 3 | NEXT >> Single Page Originally published by By RACHEL OHM Morning Sentinel. © 2013 Portland Press Herald. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

A Leading local councillor has highlighted the problem of ambulance response times after witnessing a 20 minute wait for help to arrive for a stricken woman on the seafront. The woman collapsed in Marine Parade last Wednesday. He said: "I know they are doing their best with the resources. But I saw the woman collapse and then she was looking very pale. The rapid response vehicle arrived pretty quickly. "But the ambulance didn't get there for quite some time. "I've seen far too much of it. That's why I've been pushing for this measure - I don't want someone dying on my patch." South East Coast Ambulance Service admitted it is falling short of the national target for 75 per cent of calls to be responded to within eight minutes. Although Kent as a whole met the standards, the south Kent coast clocked in at 73 per cent for 2012. A service spokesman said: "We are extremely busy at the moment and realise improvements can be made - there's a lot of work to be done still. We can only apologise to the woman in question if it caused any personal distress, but we can only respond as quickly as we possibly can." Most ambulances for Dover leave from Ashford, where on a typical day 13 vehicles are stationed alongside five rapid response cars. There are also temporary response points in Whitfield and at the old ambulance station in Winchelsea Road, which closed as a fully operational facility in 2011. Cllr Collor revealed funding has already been set aside by Kent County Council for four defibrillators will be installed at 300 yard intervals and may be in place by the summer. The sight of the medical aids are becoming increasingly common in Britain and the rest of Europe. A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

ESSEX: The Essex Air Ambulance has announced that the makers of famous culinary ingredient, Maldon Sea Salt, will be their main sponsors for the Great Essex Feast. Throughout March dozens of people across the county will be organising their own Come Dine With Me style dinner parties to help raise vital funds and awareness for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust. Steve Osborne, Managing Director of Maldon Sea Salt, said: "Essex Air Ambulance provide a very valuable service for the local community in our county and we are delighted to support them and the Great Essex Feast fundraiser initiative to ensure we all keep them flying." Feasts can take any form from coffee mornings to quiz nights, afternoon teas, wine and cheese evenings or even pancakes and bubbly. To register as a host visit www.essexairambulance.uk.com A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article

By Chris Palmer, The Philadelphia Inquirer March 13--The bookkeeper of the Warrington Community Ambulance Corps was charged Monday with stealing nearly $650,000 from the agency over several years to fund her trips to casinos, according to police records. Danette Lewchick, 56, of Jamison, the agency's financial secretary, systematically stole money between January 2008 and July 2012, the records say, by writing checks to herself and withdrawing money from the agency's bank accounts, often at ATMs within Parx Casino in Bensalem. The checks and withdrawals ranged from $600 to $25,000, records say. All told, the theft allegedly amounted to $642,741 over the course of about 41/2 years. According to the most recently available financial reports, the agency took in about $1 million per year in revenue between 2008 and 2010. Of that figure, almost $700,000 came from ambulance fees. An additional $240,000 represented public grants. Marc J. Furber, an assistant district attorney, said Lewchick's alleged theft was "staggering," adding, "especially considering we're talking about a community organization that relies on public funds and donations." Lewchick's attorney, Jeffrey Solar, did not return calls for comment. The attorney for the agency, Grace Deon, said that Lewchick has not been fired but that she has not gone in to work for the agency since the financial malfeasance was discovered in July. Lewchick has a history with gambling. According to a 2005 filing in Bankruptcy Court, Lewchick, who at the time went by the name Danette Albanese, claimed losses totaling nearly $40,000 to Harrah's, Borgata, and Trump casinos. She also had $200,000 in debt relating to four mortgages and an automobile loan, and owed around $100,000 to various individuals in personal loans, the filings say. Deon said the agency was unaware of Lewchick's financial history when she was hired. Lewchick was made the primary bookkeeper in 2008, according to police records. Lewchick's stepmother, Jennifer Lewchick, is the agency's chairwoman, but both Deon and Furber said there was no indication that anyone else knew about Danette Lewchick's actions. -- Contact Chris Palmer, 609-217-8305, cpalmer@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter, @cs_palmer ___ ©2013 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.philly.com Distributed by MCT Information Services A service of YellowBrix, Inc. View the full article