EMS Wire Service

Terrorists Strike Again as Bombs Rip Subways, Bus in London

As an important summit of political leaders opened in Scotland on July 7, a series of four bombs rocked London’s transportation system in the midst of the morning rush hour, killing more than 50 and injuring at least 700. A group calling itself the Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe claimed responsibility.

Bombs exploded in three subway stations and on a double-decker bus. Prime Minister Tony Blair speculated that the attacks were timed to coincide with the opening of the Group of 8 (G8) Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. They also came a day after London was announced as the site of the 2012 Olympic Games.

“Whatever they do,” Blair said, “it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilized nations throughout the world.”

In a statement posted on the Internet, the previously unknown Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe said the bombings were in retaliation for Britain’s military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and warned of further attacks in Italy and Denmark. Transportation security was ramped up across Europe, but the summit continued.

In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security raised its color-coded alert level to Orange (high) for the nation’s mass-transit systems. Secretary Michael Chertoff said he had no specific credible information about imminent attacks Stateside, but noted that “The intent of al Qaeda and affiliated organizations to attack in Europe and the United States has been well documented and continues to be reflected in intelligence reporting.” Bomb-sniffing dogs were utilized on buses and subways in Washington, and rifle-toting police were riding some trains. Other major cities hiked their security as well. President George W. Bush warned Americans to be extra vigilant.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs issued a quick call for fire and EMS leaders to review their preparations for such incidents and to consult with their counterparts in law enforcement.

Casualties among Londoners included large numbers of burns, breaks, cuts, head and orthopedic injuries and those with smoke inhalation.

“Based on conversations I’ve had with people in England, it sounds like the London Ambulance Service did a tremendous job,” says Paul Maniscalco, retired deputy chief of the Fire Department of New York’s EMS Command and a member of the Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (aka the Gilmore Commission). “It demonstrates that if you’ve revisited your plans and exercised on a regular basis, and your EMS personnel have the proper protective equipment and operational awareness, things are going to be a heck of a lot better than they could have been.”

While the authenticity of the Secret Organization of al Qaeda in Europe’s claim of responsibility was not yet confirmed at press time, terrorism experts said the attacks had all the hallmarks of al Qaeda, which is also believed responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the March 2004 Madrid train bombings.

—Staff, wire reports</p>

EMS Grant Requests Dwarf FIRE Act Funds

This year, for the first time, nonaffiliated nonprofit EMS agencies were allowed to apply for federal Assistance to Firefighter (FIRE Act) grants, and they did so in abundance: During the application period from March 7–April 8, 2005, 1,590 applications from EMS organizations were received. Together, they sought $138.6 million—more than 10 times the $13 million that was available.

Congress appropriated $650 million for the entire program this year, but made only 2% of that available to nonaffiliated EMS, defined as public or private nonprofits that provide direct services to defined areas but are not affiliated with hospitals and do not serve areas in which EMS is “adequately provided” through fire departments. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has indicated that any nonaffiliated EMS agency in good standing is eligible under this definition.

The applications included 1,037 for operations and safety programs, totaling $77.5 million, and 553 for vehicles, totaling $61.1 million.

—Department of Homeland Security

Manslaughter Charge After Defib Kills EMT

A Virginia EMT faces up to 20 years in prison after a coworker he shocked with a defibrillator died.

Joshua Martin, 24, of the Highlands Ambulance Service faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter. He shocked fellow EMT Courtney Hilton, 23, on June 1. Hilton collapsed and was taken to the Russell County Medical Center, then transferred to the Bristol Regional Medical Center in Tennessee, where she died three days later.

Martin, who was at Hilton’s side in the emergency department, was arrested when she died. Police have not said exactly how and why the shock occurred.

It is rare for someone with a normal heartbeat to die after a defibrillator shock. “You would yell and curse, but your heart would beat normally,” a Bristol ED doc told a local reporter. However, he said, “If you get a shock at the wrong time, your heart can go into ventricular fibrillation.”

—www.TriCities.com

Detroit Teen Shot as Medics Try to Save Him

A Detroit teen being treated for gunshot wounds was shot again and killed when his assailant returned with a bigger gun and ordered the paramedics working to save him to stand aside.

Billie Rutledge, 17, was on a stretcher and being helped by personnel from the Detroit Fire Department early on the morning of June 4. He’d been shot several times with a small-caliber gun. As medics James Peyton and Toby Hanna were moving him to their ambulance, they heard a shotgun cock and turned to see a masked man with a rifle who told them to “Watch out.” The medics ran about 12 feet, according to media accounts, before hearing two shots. This time, Rutledge was struck in the head and shoulder and died immediately.

The medics were on stress leave at press time but “doing fine,” according to department EMS Chief Gary Kelly. No arrests had been made by mid June, but police were investigating the possibility that Rutledge had information on or was connected to an earlier murder last March.

—Detroit Free Press

System Lets Call Centers Test Text Reception

A new initiative from the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is aimed at making sure that the equipment 9-1-1 call centers use to communicate with hearing-impaired callers works properly.

The initiative utilizes an automated system called TTY-PASS that was developed to help call centers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY-PASS sends a three-minute test script to the call-taker’s TTY text telephone; the call-taker then copies the text into a secure website, where it is scored for accuracy. To pass, the TTY must have a total character error rate of 1% or lower.

The system was developed by NENA and Washington, DC-based TelecomXchange International (TXI). It has an annual fee of $75 per TTY.

“This program ensures the TTY is capable of receiving wireless and conventional phone calls,” said TXI founder Edward Hall, “which results in the ability to provide better service and save lives.”

—National Emergency Number Association

Homeland Security for Telecommunicators

The APCO Institute—the educational arm of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Inter-national—has announced a new one-day course, The Telecommunicator’s Role in Homeland Security, designed to educate call-takers and other emergency telecommunicators about their important role in recognizing terrorism incidents.

The course, designed to be held before and after state and regional conferences, is based on the National Incident Management System (NIMS). It covers such topics as modern terrorism threats, responses to specific incidents, anatomy of terrorism incidents and resource coordination. It also offers an ICS module specially designed for telecommunicators.

—APCO

Texas Dispatcher Gets 1st Annual NAED Award

The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) has honored Julie Regier of Austin-Travis Co. (TX) EMS as its first annual Dispatcher of the Year.

In selecting Regier, judges reviewed dispatch records and listened to tapes of 9-1-1 calls she handled. Criteria for the award in-cluded professionalism, functioning under stress and adherence to protocols, especially under exceptional circumstances or in cases involving difficult callers. Candidates also got credit for teamwork, involvement in education and initiative in furthering the dispatch profession.

“How Julie does her job says a lot about the dispatching professional as a whole,” said award judge Mark Rector. “It’s about providing professional and caring services every day, on every call.”

The award was created to identify and recognize individuals who exemplify the NAED’s values and mission. The NAED is the world’s leading standard-setting and certifying organization for emergency dispatch.

—National Academies of Emergency Dispatch

Patrol Plan Has Minn. Firefighters Unhappy

Firefighters in St. Paul, MN, are upset about a new plan that has them patrolling the streets like police officers.

Under the Operation CARE (Compre-hensive Area Reclamation Enterprise) program launched in June, fire personnel are joining cops and code inspectors in “cracking down on quality-of-life crimes” in certain neighborhoods. This entails going door-to-door and patrolling some areas in fire vehicles from 6–10 each night. They look for things like fire hazards and missing address numbers.

Local IAFF Chapter President Pat Flanagan called the plan “ridiculous” and said diverting staff and vehicles in this manner could leave the department unable to respond to fires and other emergencies. Fire Chief Doug Holton, who supports the plan, countered that companies patrol only in their first-alarm response areas. “Their response times are going to be quicker,” he said, “because they’re ready to go.”

The firefighters are asked to contact dispatchers if they see something suspicious.

—St. Paul Pioneer-Press

In Memoriam:

C. Earl Gettinger, Jr.

Another EMS leader has left us and will be sorely missed. C. Earl Gettinger, Jr. died last week at age 69. He was the first president/CEO of EmergyCare, Inc. in Erie, PA. Earl had an exemplary career in EMS spanning nearly 40 years, serving as a regional EMS director and state EMS director, among other positions in California, Vermont, Wyoming and Pennsylvania. To read more about Earl’s life and to view remembrances from EMS leaders like Jon Politis and Frank Poliafico, go to www.goerie.com, scroll down to death notices in the left column and search for “Gettinger.”

—Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC

Response-Time Law Slows Building

A county law enacted in hopes of ensuring timely responses by police, fire and EMS has had the unintended consequence of stopping virtually all new home development in Prince George’s County, MD.

The law bars construction of new homes in places where 9-1-1 calls for assistance are not answered promptly (within 6–10 minutes for emergencies and 25 minutes for other calls). But even outside the county’s rural areas, these standards have been difficult to meet. According to the Baltimore Sun, at least three police districts can’t do it, and even worse, the county fire department can’t even provide monthly reports on its response times, as the law requires. The department—which, like many agencies, faces staffing shortages—compiles the information every six months, but says it would be too costly to do it monthly. It is known, however, that average fire and ambulance response times meet the standard in less than half the county.

The result has been a near-stoppage of new-home construction in Prince George’s. It has also created a financial shortfall for the county, which was to receive fees on new homes to help fund fire and police stations and equipment for responders.

County officials are now considering changes to the law.

—Baltimore Sun