This Week in EMS: A Recap for Oct. 7 - 13, 2006
This week on EMSResponder.com we provided an exclusive, online companion piece to the October EMS Magazine cover report:
Revamped ED Helps Wisconsin Hospital Better Serve Its Citizens
The piece, by EMS Magazine Associate Editor John Erich, provides a success story of a revitalized ED, as proposed in Jim Augustine's article, The ED Major Incident Center: A Perfect Refit.
The article begins, "America's talking heads talk a lot about America's hospitals--what they need, how to improve them. Obviously, they talk about things like funding, capacity, integration and preparedness for all hazards. But beyond such big-ticket political issues, they also talk about the importance of making those hospitals comfortable, accessible and even welcoming to the citizens of their communities.
One good example of how this can be done comes from the small Wisconsin town of Fort Atkinson (population: 11,621), roughly 30 miles east of Madison. There, a number of recent innovations are leading to happier emergency medical care experiences for area residents." Click here to read the full article.
In news this week, the biggest story was the plane that struck a high rise on New York's Upper East Side on Wednesday, Oct. 11:
Manhattan Crash; Chaos Turns to Order
The scene was eerily reminiscent of Sept. 11, though smaller in scale, with dozens of police, fire and EMS personnel racing to the scene.
For a brief period responders were in terror mode. As the investigation unfolded, it was confirmed this crash was not terrorism but a tragic accident involving the plane of New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor. It was not clear who was at the controls, and the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
The other major story in EMS this week, also tragic, was the death of Texas paramedic Eric Hanson, 26, in an ambulance crash. Hanson's fellow paramedic, 29-year-old Kyla Wilson, was listed in serious condition Tuesday night at Brackenridge Hospital. They were with the Marble Falls Area Emergency Medical Services.
EMS officials said Wilson and Hanson had taken a patient to Austin Heart Hospital and were returning to Marble Falls. The ambulance was traveling west on Texas 71 and a truck, which was headed east, veered into the westbound lanes. Hanson and Wilson were wearing seat belts.
To read the full story visit Texas Paramedic Gave All to Help Others
An ongoing theme in recent EMS news continued this week, with several major cities considering changing from private service to fire-based service:
Toledo, Ohio Fire Chief, Union Head Propose EMS Takeover
Toledo's fire chief and the head of the firefighters' union have proposed having the city fire department take over emergency ambulance runs from the private companies that currently provide service. The details of the proposal had not been publicized this week, and it was not yet clear whether the mayor would submit the proposal to the city council.
Tulsa, Oklahoma Fire Department Seeks to Replace EMSA
The Tulsa Fire Department has submitted a proposal that claims it can provide ambulance service to the city cheaper than EMSA, the current regional provider.
As previously reported, Oklahoma City is also is trying to determine whether to have the fire department take over ambulance service from EMSA.
Other Top News This Week:
