Absence of paramedic 'not isolated incident'
CALLS have been made for an investigation into why there was no paramedic on board the ambulance which responded to the six-year-old boy struck by a boat in Co Down on Monday.
A doctor who helped treat Stuart Wilson, who remains critically ill, at the scene of the tragedy on Cranfield beach, and travelled with him on the ambulance, told the News Letter on Tuesday that she felt “let down” by the absence of a paramedic.
However, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service have said their response to the boating accident was not compromised by the lack of the specially trained medic.
Yesterday an Ulster Unionist assembly member said it was a matter of “real concern”.
“This was a very serious accident, and it was disturbing to learn that there had not been a paramedic on the ambulance and at the scene,” said John McCallister.
“We need answers. The ambulance service is a vitally important emergency service and the public need reassurance.”
A spokesperson for the ambulance service said the absence of a paramedic on Monday was not an isolated incident, but stressed that it happened “very rarely”.
“In an ideal situation we would have both a paramedic and emergency medical technician [EMT] on board every ambulance. In the vast majority of call-outs that is the case.
“In this case involving the young boy the two emergency medical technicians who attended, were more than capable of coping with the emergency.”
It is understood that emergency medical technicians are not trained in some medical procedures and cannot administer medicine to accident victims.
Meanwhile, Newry and Mourne councillor Henry Reilly said concerns surrounding the dangers of too many water crafts at Cranfield beach would have to be addressed.
“Many people have been aware and feared that an accident like this was waiting to happen,” said Mr Reilly.
“At the end of the day, this is a tragic accident. No one went out to cause harm, but at the same time something will have to be done to stop more accidents like this happening.”
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
