For $500, what a 19 y/o, an ambulance, and an iPod causes.

[Schwaa]

I've also about this on other sites. It seems the media isn't telling the whole story. Ipod, Car stoped in the middle of the road, etc. Don't make your judgements on this article alone.

[Dustdevil]

There doesn't seem to be an official report as to what actually caused the accident or where the blame will fall. Right now we the the word of someone who "knows the driver" and is quick to cast the blame toward him.

But seriously, are "official" media reports really any more credible than hearsay these days?

[VentMedic]

But seriously, are "official" media reports really any more credible than hearsay these days?

Not always. But, there isn't much information being released from the hospital, police or families at this time to the media except the obvious. Those "reliable sources" are probably wearing their uniforms into the hospital in an attempt to get a look at their injured co-workers. They are then running to their computers to post all the details of what they saw and heard.

[Dustdevil]

Questions: Were either of these two really paramedics?

And is this company really EMS?

I get the feeling this is just another case of the media assuming every ambulance is EMS, and every ambulance driver is a paramedic.

[spenac]

To hit a parked car you pretty much have to be DWD. Sorry if some fluke occurred and I am wrong, but at this point the young driver is guilty unless proven innocent.

[VentMedic]

A brief follow up identifies her as an EMT.

Rockland emergency medical technician still unconscious after losing arm in crash

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...EWS03/804150410

WEST NYACK - An emergency medical technician whose right arm was amputated after the ambulance she was in crashed on Route 59 yesterday, remains sedated this morning and does not know the extent of her injuries, officials said.

Bonnie Ames, 20, is recovering at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

"She's still intubated and she's fighting," Ray Florida, executive director of Rockland Paramedic Services, said this morning. "That's a good sign."

Ames, a resident of the Orange County village of Florida, has been unconscious since the ambulance she was riding in crashed into a parked truck on the side of Route 59 in West Nyack yesterday morning.

"She doesn't know that she lost her arm," he said.

Colleagues have started a fund to help her family pay for her recovery. Contributions can be made in her name to the

Regional EMS Benevolent Fund, P.O. Box 614, Nanuet, NY, 10954.

"She has a long recovery ahead of her," Florida said. EMS workers are holding a vigil for her at the hospital.

The driver of the ambulance was also injured.

Scott Millar, 19, of Haverstraw is being treated at Westchester Medical Center for a head injury and may be released today, Florida said.

[JPINFV]

I've also about this on other sites. It seems the media isn't telling the whole story. Ipod, Car stoped in the middle of the road, etc. Don't make your judgements on this article alone.

"Parked along" (per news report) is very different than "stopped in the middle of the road." Cars park along roads, both major and minor, for all sorts of reasons. I'm pretty sure that the difference between "along" and "in" are things that the reporter would be able to distinguish between. People hit parked cars all the time, generally because they're doing something stupid or ignorant (e.g. my sister's first car accident fell into the second category).

[Chief1C]

Questions: Were either of these two really paramedics?

And is this company really EMS?

I get the feeling this is just another case of the media assuming every ambulance is EMS, and every ambulance driver is a paramedic.

http://www.regional-ems.org/ a division of http://www.rocklandparamedics.org/

[celticcare]

Being the brunt of many rumours myself, I am just going to say to all of you, innocent till proven guilty. Therre are too many "I know that guy" etc people around in this world and chinese whispers is a dangerous thing. And no I don't think raising the driving age is the main thing to change, and we dont know the ins and outs of the scene, had they just done a long shift, had he had sunblindness, were he and his partner arguing? People are just quick to assume, young guy, be playing with a cell phone or ipod, another excuse for the old dinosaurs to say "oh raise driving age blah blah blah". If it was by an ipod then fine, but wait for it to officially come out, dont go on the word of one person who "knows the driver". Does this "informant" have something against the driver? Are they a Dinosaur that doesnt like a young EMT in the service?

Dust, in regards to Paramedic statement, different services have different levels, in my last service, anyone EMT-B and above was called a paramedic and when you reached advanced, you were called intensive Care paramedic, just like current service, you are a paramedic at emt-I. So the term "paramedic" doesnt actually dictate or mean the same any more

Scotty

[spenac]

Dust, in regards to Paramedic statement, different services have different levels, in my last service, anyone EMT-B and above was called a paramedic and when you reached advanced, you were called intensive Care paramedic, just like current service, you are a paramedic at emt-I. So the term "paramedic" doesnt actually dictate or mean the same any more

Scotty

And you consider this a good thing? The public need to be understand that they are getting screwed by the politicians that hide the truth of how poorly staffed the ambulances really are by calling everyone "paramedic".

I am seriously considering leaving this profession that I love because instead of improving it is going further down hill. And sadly most in it seem to happy to help it continue to spiral downward.