Party Doll's Weekend Comes to Quick Conclusion

ANOTHER RURAL/METRO AMBULANCE was stolen Sunday morning in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst, New York.  It all began around 6:30 am when a policeman brought Heather Sullivan, 37 and drunk, into the emergency room of the ECMC hospital.  Once she was left unattended, she dashed out the ER entrance where she found the ambulance, also unattended and with  the keys in the ignition.  WGRZ-TV continues the tale:

She started heading east down Kensington Ave. with police in pursuit. Once she reached the first traffic circle, she lost control of the ambulance and went straight through the circle and continued towards the Walgreens. She slammed into a brick wall surrounding the parking lot, slowing her down before the ambulance came to a rest.

WIVB-TV

"Thank God she missed the building though. The brick wall stopped her, otherwise, she would have been definitely into the building," said Amherst Police Senior Investigator Scott Lawida.

The ambulance was heavily damaged due to the impact of the brick wall.

The woman has been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, grand larceny, criminal possession of a stolen vehicle and other charges.

A Rural/Metro spokesman says that the ambulance will probably be a total loss with damages estimated at $80,000 to $100,000.  The police said that she was driving at an extremely high rate of speed.

WGRZ-TV filed this video report:

The Buffalo News has the STORY.
WIVB-TV has MORE.

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Called It Working "Side Jobs"

A 24-YR.-OLD MAN IN IZHEVSK, RUSSIA, stole an ambulance that was sitting unattended and drove it around for two days before he was caught.

Typical Russian Ambulance (Flickr photo by Barry)

The ambulance was at a repair shop and had been fixed, then left parked outside with the keys in the ignition.  RIA Novosti news agency reports:

The car theft took place on Monday, but was not discovered until Wednesday, when the medics were due to pick up their vehicle, the report said.  The car turned turned up in a nearby yard, where police staked out to apprehend the driver, who was caught with the car keys on him, the report said.

The man faces up to five years in prison over the incident. It remained unclear what prompted the theft, but the vehicle added 540 kilometers to the odometer, and the man’s cellphone had outgoing messages saying: “Doing side jobs with the ambulance.”

The "side jobs" refers to a common, yet illegal, practice in Russia where ambulances will collect taxi passengers and by using their redlights and sirens, they get the riders swiftly to their destinations when there are heavy traffic jams.

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At An Intersection …. Again

A DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, AMBULANCE was involved in a collision Monday morning while transporting a patient to the hospital.  The ambulance was destined for a hospital in Winston-Salem and had its lights and siren on as it approached the intersection shortly after 8:20 am.

The Dispatch reports:

Jeff Smith, director of Davidson County Emergency Services, said Medic 20 was traveling north on N.C. 109 with lights and siren on en route to Forsyth Medical Center when it approached the intersection. He said it appeared the driver of the ambulance, whose name was not released, did not see a Land Rover that was trying to cross N.C. 109 to get on Old Greensboro Road because of a line of cars leaving West Lexington Avenue Extension that were attempting to turn left onto N.C. 109 South.

Smith said the ambulance was hit in the back quarter at the rear wheels. The ambulance spun around and struck the guardrail on N.C. 109.  "It was actually against the guardrail. They had to pull it up to get the patient out," he said.

The patient did not receive any injuries from the crash and was taken on to the hospital by another unit.  The medic in the back was taken to be checked, but does not appear to have any serious injuries.  The two drivers were uninjured as well as two children that were in the car.

The ambulance, a 2010 Chevrolet had "significant" damage and the Land Rover was totaled.  A state trooper said that the driver of the Land Rover will be charged with failure to yield to emergency traffic.

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Lax Vehicle Laws in Texas Creates Confusion

AN AMBULANCE-LOOKING PARTY CAR is creating some confusion and anger in Fort Worth, Texas, this week.  The curiosity showed up in a parking lot of an apartment building and generated some questions from the local news stations.

KVUE-TV

The apparently converted former-ambulance still has the flashing red/blue light bar on the cab along with the mirrored decal on the hood.  Along the side is a mighty star of life and in big letters:  DFW RESCUE with Cougar & Kitten written out in smaller script (DFW are commonly used to connote the Dallas – Ft. Worth region).  A peek through the rear windows reveals an array of lounge-bar leather seating and a dance pole.

KVUE-TV

NBC5 News made some phone calls:

A public database shows the truck was registered just last month to Fort Worth chiropractor Joe Ysbrand at the address of the medical clinic on Camp Bowie where he works.

"It's a limo," he said in a telephone interview.  (Yeah, right… a limo ….FG)

Asked what it's used for, he said, "There's a couple doctors who use it. We don't rent it… We just take friends and family out, that's about it."

Later, an attorney who claimed to work for the owner of the vehicle called NBC 5 to say Ysbrand doesn't actually own it — even if that's what the registration shows. The attorney, Fletcher Johnson, said, "It was inadvertent. They filled out the paperwork incorrectly."  (Oh, sure …. the bone-crusher just didn't understand what 'Your Name' means and accidentally wrote down his buddy's address?…FG)

Johnson wouldn't identify who does own the truck and added that it's not intended to look like a real ambulance. (Except for the flashing lights and ambulance decals all over the red body….FG)  The owners plan to use it for corporate and sporting events and even children's parties, he said.  (Children's parties?  With bar seating and a dance pole?  Where did they find this lawyer, at the Sleezeball wing of the state bar? ….FG)

Did we mention that this ambulance that is NOT owned by the bone-crusher, but registered to him at his work address, is also parked in front of HIS apartment building?

All of this is disconcerting to the local ambulance service, MedStar.  They are worried about both the reputation of their firm as well as the possibility that people will naturally think it's a real ambulance and expect it to stop and accidents and stuff.

KVUE-TV gives us a good look at the non-ambulance for cougars in this video report:

The Fort Worth police say that it is perfectly ok to have flashing red and blue lights on your truck, just so long as you don't turn them on.  Apparently there are no laws restricting the usage of ambulance decals of all sizes on your personal vehicle, either.  Don't mess with Texas.

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From the "Police Interceptor" television series

A creepy encounter

Police Interceptors is a British TV documentary series that profiles the work of a police ANPR Intercept Team (now known as the Territorial Support Team) in Essex, United Kingdom and in series 4 profiles the work of South Yorkshire Police's Road Crime Unit and Derbyshire Police's Road Policing Unit.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Both Medics Transported

TWO WICHITA, KANSAS, FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDICS were injured, one of them seriously, Monday morning when a car ran a red light and crashed into their ambulance.

KWCH-TV

The collision occurred just before 4 am this morning as the ambulance was returning to its station following a routine call.  As they were traveling through an intersection, a car on the cross street blew through the red light and smashed into the side of the ambulance, knocking it onto its side.  Witnesses say that the car was traveling at a high rate of speed.  It ended up against a building nearby, but there was little damage to the structure.

KWCH-TV

Both paramedics and the driver of the car were injured and taken to the hospital.  Early reports say that one of the medics is in serious condition.

Police are still investigating and have yet to determine if speed and/or alcohol and factors in the wreck.

KWCH-TV has a video report and more photos HERE.
The Wichita Eagle has more details HERE.

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Retired Firefighter Killed

THE DRIVER OF A CAMPBELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AMBULANCE was charged today (Friday) with reckless driving following a crash in Lynchburg Thursday afternoon.

WSET-TV

The crash occurred at a controlled intersection when the ambulance drove through a red light and collided with a pickup truck, killing the truck's driver, Dean Anders, 69, a retired Lynchburg firefighter who died on the scene.  The pickup had already entered the intersection when the ambulance came through and struck the truck on the passenger side causing it to flip over.

The Lynchburg News and Advance reports:

A witness at the scene said she was on Campbell Avenue heading into the city, when the ambulance passed her.

Roseann Dickerson, of Lynchburg, said she saw the ambulance slow approaching the light, but continued through the intersection where it hit the pickup. At one point, the ambulance was sitting partially on top of the truck, she said.

Capt. Ryan Zuidema, of the Lynchburg Police Department, said the ambulance was transporting a patient to Lynchburg General Hospital.

That patient, a family member, Kidd and another Campbell County emergency worker staffing the ambulance were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. None are believed to have life-threatening injuries.

WSET-TV reports in this video that Dean Anders was not wearing a seat belt:

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A Few Years Too Late for Firegeezer

MEDICAL ADVANCES IN THE PAST 10 or 20 years have been astounding beyond description. Treatments and cures for this and that have improved countless millions of lives since the turn of the century. Take Dr. Jason Burke, for example. He is a board-certified anesthesiologist with a medical degree from Duke University and according to his website, he is the "first physician in the United States to formally dedicate his career to the treatment of hangovers."

He posts his philosophy of the mission: "I don’t believe someone should lose an entire day to a hangover because they decided to relieve stress and have a good time. After experiencing a few bad hangovers in my lifetime, I decided to apply my skills and develop a treatment protocol that would take someone from a semiconscious, porcelain-hugging, hit-by-a-truck hangover to feeling like you’re ready to take on the world in less than 45 minutes. I think this is a major development in medicine and solves a significant problem for people who like to have a good time."

Dr. Burke practices his craft in Las Vegas which seems to be the perfect place to kick off this medical revolution. He's not just kidding around here…. he is dedicated, as any good physician is, to making life better. Last month he put his mobile hangover clinic on the road in a 45-ft. former tour bus that has been outfitted to meet his specifications and dubbed it Hangover Heaven.

There is no need to try and find your way to the doc's, just a simple phone call brings the clinic to wherever you are and begins the treatment. The clinic has a suspension that provides a smooth ride and is furnished with a front lounge, a mid-section treatment center with bunks installed, and a rear lounge. It also has a bathroom and a "private interview room for people who have sensitive medical issues they wish to discuss." Greg Beato, a writer for Reason Magazine describes the clinic:

Inside the bus, it looks like a cross between an ambulance and a conference room at Embassy Suites. IV drips hang from the ceiling, patients are swathed in blankets, but there are also spacious leather sofas with built-in beverage-holders and flat-screen TVs. EMTs administer relief to patients in the form of branded medical cocktails. The $90 Redemption package contains one bag of saline solution, vitamins, and an anti-nausea medication. The $150 Salvation package includes a double shot of saline solution, the vitamins, the anti-nausea medication and an anti-inflammatory as well.

It needs to be noted that Dr. Burke is running a legitmate medical practice and does not sober up someone who is intoxicated.  He only treats the hangover that comes later.  Nor does he treat people for alcoholism or drug addiction.

It's only a matter of time before the techniques of treatment are refined and miniaturized to the point where everything is in a handy brief case that will be stored in the front left compartment of your fire engine or behind the front seat of the ambulance. We always meet such interesting people in this job.

Read more about Hangover Heaven on Dr. Burke's WEBSITE HERE.
Read the entire article from Reason Magazine HERE.

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At An Intersection ….

A PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND, Fire Department ambulance was hit broadside Sunday evening while it was making a turn at an intersection.  The ambulance was transporting a patient with lights and siren activated and was making a left turn when a tow truck approaching from the opposite direction struck the ambulance, knocking it into a third vehicle before it careened into a drainage ditch.  The accident happened around 5 pm.

WTTG-TV

The two medics and the patient were all transported and treated for minor injuries along with the driver of the third vehicle.  The tow-truck driver was uninjured but police say he is facing several charges for his action.

Fire Rescue Department spokesman Mark Brady said that there is about $25,000 damage to the older ambulance which may be a total loss.

WTTG-TV Ch. 5 filed this video report from the scene:

Four people hurt after ambulance hit by truck in Clinton, MD: MyFoxDC.com

WJLA-TV Ch. 7 has the details HERE.

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Sheriff Claims to Have "Solid Leads"

THE SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, Fire and Rescue Department has an intense investigation underway following the discovery that some controlled drugs have been taken from units in two different stations.  They are not publicly stating if both of them were ambulances, but one of the shortages was discovered on an ambulance call while the other was noticed in the station.

The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star reports:

Twice in the past few weeks, vials of morphine and Versed used to treat patients have disappeared from county fire and rescue stations.

"It is very alarming that this has happened at two separate stations," said Kevin Dillard, spokesman for Chancellor Volunteer Fire and Rescue. "It’s not a lot of drugs, but it is a very big deal to us."

The first incident was discovered early April 20, and the drugs could have disappeared as early as April 16, authorities said. Two 10-mg ampules of morphine and two 5-mg vials of Versed were reported missing from the station at 11201 Gordon Road.

Station 10, Gordon Rd.  (GoogleStreetView)

On Sunday night, two more 10-mg ampules of morphine and two 5-mg ampules of Versed were discovered to be missing, this time from the station at 7030 Harrison Road.

Dillard goes on to say that Spotsylvania uses the same drug security procedures that all other departments in the region have in place and the investigation will hopefully find out how it was compromised.  The Sheriff Dept. says that they have some "solid leads."

Read the full story in the Free Lance-Star HERE.

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