Cream of the Crop 12/Cream of the Crop 12 (Part II)/Cream of the Crop 12 (Part II).iso/BBS/SHADOW2.ZIP/5.EMA

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-EMERGENCYNET NEWS SVC.-01/03/93-1200CST

EMERGENCY NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NATION #1-93

By Clark Staten, Editor
   Paul Anderson, Correspondent
   Amy Grant, Correspondent

FOR THE WANT OF A $.29 STAMP . . . PEOPLE DIED???

Washington DC - The legacy of the much discussed, and often
under-fire, Washington DC fire Department continues. The
latest flap concerns the city's personnel department and an
attempt to hire (40) forty EMT's and Paramedics for the
beleaguered Ambulance bureau in the nation's capitol.
According to the Washington Post, an attempt to hire the
emergency medical workers has taken almost a year, instead of
the necessary 2-3 months that the process should take.

The ambulance bureau, that has been continually plagued by
news reports of short-staffing, slow response times, and
management difficulties, was reportedly a "high priority" in
Mayor Sharon Pratt-Kelly's 1992 budget.  Unfortunately, the
department of personnel wasn't as lucky, and lost one hundred
and five (105) employees during this fiscal year. Officials
contribute some of the problems involving the year long
medic hiring process to the loss of "essential personnel" who
had been laid-off. In the process, however, even Washington's
City Administrator -Robert Mallett admits that "it's
inexcusable that we've had these delays".

Earlier this year, personnel administrators reportedly denied
that there were positions available in the ambulance bureau
and later refused to send applications to potential
employees.  According to Evelyn Turner, of the city
department of personnel, the city refused to mail
applications to potential city EMTs and Paramedics, telling
them that they had to come and pick them up in person. This
was allegedly done to avoid spending the cost of postage.

The city's head of the ambulance bureau, Robert Bass, said
that the personnel hiring "hotline" also was distributing
erroneous information for several weeks, in regard to the
availability of EMS positions.  He indicated that he had
personally called the "hotline" and was told that there
weren't any EMT or paramedic positions open. This was done
at a time that he thought the city was actively recruiting
the EMTs and Paramedics that the Mayor's office had told him
they could hire.

Bass, who took over management of the D.C. ambulance bureau
last January, is quoted in the Washington Post as saying,
"The system is so cumbersome and confusing . . . how many people
got turned away or left frustrated by the hiring process".
Bass said that he asked to fill (50) fifty vacancies in the
ambulance bureau budget last February, but that personnel
employees took at least two months to even design the
"vacancy announcements" that were needed to advertise the
hiring process.  Then, after the job announcements finally
were advertised in several trade journals, the personnel
department advised inquirers that there were no jobs open or
that they needed a year of experience to be considered (the
requirement had been officially waived).

Ambulance officials said that they began to interview
potential applicants during the late summer and forwarded the
names of the chosen people to the personnel department for
processing.  According to personnel officials, they were
waiting for the fire department to complete detailed
"background investigations" of all of the applicants before
processing the applications. D.C. Fire Chief Ray Alfred is
reportedly concerned because he says he had approved hiring,
based on preliminary background checks, while awaiting the
completion of the more thorough investigations during the
employee's probationary period.

Next, after a number of high-level meetings between personnel
and fire department officials, letters were reportedly
prepared to inform the successful applicants that they had
been hired and should report for work.  Again . . . and again
unfortunately, the letters were prepared at a satellite
office of the personnel agency at the Reeves Municipal
Center.

There the "hire letters" supposedly remained for several
days, reportedly waiting because there were no stamps
available to mail them to the new EMTs and Paramedics.  Bass
says that it was necessary for ambulance bureau personnel to
retrieve the letters, bring them to the ambulance service
headquarters, and affix fire department postage to the
letters before they could be sent out.  Bass said that they
were received by new employees only (10) ten days before they
were to report to work.

This entire process was seriously criticized by members of
Mayor Pratt-Kelly's Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Task Force, who
had repeatedly called for the hiring of the badly needed EMTs
and Paramedics since March of 1992.  Dr. Vincent J. Roux, of
Howard University hospital and chairman of the committee,
reportedly placed the blame directly at the feet of the
personnel department by saying, "The personnel department
really didn't see the urgency in getting done what needed to
be done".  Another committee member reportedly questioned
"how many people had died as the result of the need for a few
$.29 postage stamps and the delays that had been caused".

___________________________________________________________________


MURDER RECORD BROKEN IN BALTIMORE, MD - GUNS AND DRUGS BLAMED

Baltimore, MD - The City of Baltimore has broken a twenty year old
record.  Unfortunately, the record was for the number of murders
committed during a single year (333).  Police officials speculate
the cause of increase can be directly attributed to two things,
high-capacity 9mm handguns, military-type assault weapons and the
relocation of "younger, tougher drug traffickers...who shoot first
and think later", according to Capt. Michael Andrew of the
Baltimore Police Narcotics Unit.

Andrew and others say that the new breed of drug dealers are moving
into several areas of Baltimore from New York City and that the
violence is the result of "turf wars" as the dealers attempt to
carve out their areas of drug distribution.  Additionally,
Baltimore police say that there is a tremendous resurgence in
dealing in high-quality heroin, rather than the cocaine or crack
that have been so prevelant during the 1980's and early 90's.
Interestingly enough, police hypothesize that eventually heroin may
have a more "tranquilizing effect" on users who have previously
used cocaine or crack.  But, in the mean time, drive-by-shootings
and violent confrontations occur almost daily as the drug dealers
fight to decide who controls the neighborhoods.

A clear demonstration of the new found popularity of heroin in
Baltimore can be found in the number of hospital visits
contributed to heroin overdoses.  Hospital statistics indicate a
360% increase in heroin overdoses, from 1,062 in 1989 to 3,892 in
1991.  Drug intelligence analysts credit several factors for the
revival of heroin usage.  According to Capt. Andrew, many users are
fearful of injecting the heroin and are buying heroin with greater
purity and "snorting" it to obtain their high.  Secondarily, Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials say that the South
American drug cartels feel that they may have "oversold" crack and
cocaine and that buyers may be looking for alternatives to the
drugs that are of heavy attention by law enforcemnet agencies.

Baltimore police report that they have not had time to finalize the
personal statistics of the murder victims, but that they anticipate
a large number of the murder victims may be from out of town.

___________________________________________________________________

THE FIRE ENGINE THAT COULDN'T

Bois Blanc Island, MI - After four decades of unswerving service to
the citizens of a tiny North Michigan Island, the local fire pumper
wouldn't start and the maintenance chief said that it had a broken
water pump, a leaking tank, and other mechanical problems.
Unfortunately, the Bois Blanc Island fire engine is all too similar
to many others that are used by many rural and volunteer fire
departments throughout the the United States, according to the
National fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The problem is one that has been compounded by the national
economic downturn.  Many rural and smaller fire departments find
that they can't afford the the $200,000 cost of purchasing a new
fire pumper or hook and ladder truck, thus necessitating that they
continue to repair and use older fire equipment.  In many states,
these smaller departments are forced to buy another department's
used fire trucks, when they are replaced.  The resulting purchases
also bring with them a multitude of maintenance and operational
problems.

Carl Peterson, senior fire protection specialist for the NFPA, is
quoted by the Associated Press (AP) as saying, "Just because they
are old doesn't mean that they are no longer useful...but
reliability does start to become an issue...it is unfortunate that
in some of these small towns that the townsfolk aren't willing to
spend money for their own protection".  Reports have been received
from several states that tax referendums supporting purchase of new
fire department equipment have failed during recent elections.

Both the NFPA and most Fire Chiefs agree that this funding is
needed due to the fact that, even if well maintained, most fire
trucks must be replaced about every twenty (20) years.  They point
to their internal efforts to raise funds by means of bake sales,
carnivals, barbecues, and requests for private, state, and federal
grants.  But, many small town and township chiefs agree that these
fund raising efforts may not sufficiant to provide the equipment
that firefighters need to get the job done.

___________________________________________________________________


FATAL FIRE IN POWER PLANT, 3 N.J. WORKERS DIE

Newark, N.J. - A  fire took the lives of three (3) workers at the
Newark Co-Generation Power Plant in a fire that broke out at
approximately 08:30 a.m. on Christmas morning.  The three were
apparently overcome by toxic gases as they attempted to escape the
smokey blaze.  Firefighters said it appeared that the workers had
been trying to smash heavy, wire-reinforced, windows that were
the only accessable exit in the room where the workers perished.

No official cause of the fire has been established at press time,
but fire and police investigators suspect the involvement of fuel
oil that was burned to help produce electricity.  Firefighters said
that the smoke was particularly "sooty" and black, indicative of
the involvement of burning petroleum products.  Police
investigators reportedly say that they do not suspect any criminal
intent in the fire, but that autopsies would be performed before a
final conclusion was reached.

In a related story, Vice President David Giordano of the Newark
Firefighters Union was quoted by the Associated Press (AP) as
saying that firefighters had been delayed by as much as five (5)
minutes in their response to the fire due to recent Newark
firefighter layoffs and the closing of the fire station nearest to
the fire scene.

___________________________________________________________________

FOUR (400) HUNDRED POLICE OFFICERS PROTEST ICE-T CONCERT

Chicago,IL - As many as four hundred (400) area police officers
appeared outside the Vic theatre at 3145 N. Sheffield in Chicago
on Monday Dec. 28th, 1992 as rap singer Ice-T prepared to sing
several songs that are considered by police officers to be
"inflammatory".  Ice-T and his song "Cop Killer" have been the
subject of controversy between police and music aficionados for
several months, ever since Ice-T performed a song that suggested
the killing of Los Angeles Police officers.

The Chicago police demonstration turned out to be far more peaceful
than protests in Pittsburg, PA, Green Bay, WI and Los Angeles, CA
where Ice-T's concerts had to be cancelled or heavily restricted,
due to the fear that police wouldn't provide security for concert
goers.  Reportedly, there were several verbal exchanges between
police and counter-protestors, but no physical confrontations
occured. No arrests were made by on-duty police attending the
concert and Ice-T did not perform the song that was the subject of
the conflict.

___________________________________________________________________

SEVEN (7) DEAD IN SUBURBAN CHICKEN RESTAURANT,
KILLERS STILL FREE

By: Paul Anderson, Metro Correspondent

Palatine, Il -  Funerals began today for the seven people
killed on Saturday night at Brown's Chicken and Pasta, 168 W.
Northwest Highway, in the Chicago suburb of Palatine.  The
victims; owners-Richard (age 50) and Lynn Ehlenfeldt (age
49), workers- Michael Castro (age 16), Guadelupe Maldonaldo
(age 46), Thomas Mennes (age 32), Marcus Nellsen (age 31),
and Rico Solis (age 17), all were declared dead by the office
of the medical examiner shortly after their discovery at
02:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

According to Palatine police this is an extremely complicated
and difficult investigation.  They describe the dozens of
witnesses and tips that have been investigated.  The "prime
suspect", Martin Blake (age 23) of Elgin,IL., who had been
arrested shortly after the occurance was questioned for more
than forty-eight (48) hours.  He was released on Monday after
several interviews with his friends verified his "alibi" for
the night of the shooting. Police are said to be questioning
other current and former restaurant employees.  Palatine
police have also asked anyone with information regarding the
weekend killings to contact them at [phone].

Police, who have been criticized by both families and the
media for providing little of no information about the savage
slayings, say that they are protecting the integrity of their
investigation and that releasing information prematurely
could prohibit further investigative efforts.  Cook County
State's Attorney Jack O'Malley, during a Monday news
conference, said that he would like to "reassure the
community...but couldn't do that until the killer or killers
were apprehended".

Unconfirmed law enforcement sources say that at first the
Palatine police had been working on a theory that the
killings were the result of a "bungled robbery attempt", but
that they now believe that the motivation was one of
"revenge" or that the killer(s) had "possible gang
involvement".  Investigators close to the incident say that
the victims had not been robbed and that money was found in
the property of several of the slain workers.  According to
one police officer, who requested anonymity, the massacre
could be the result of a "planned attack" on the fast-food
establishment.

Police point to other "interesting" facts that have been
discovered during the course of the investigation.  No shell
casings were found in the restaurant, even though as many as
sixteen (16) shots were fired. The bullets are believed to be
.38 or 9mm caliber, and probably the later. Five of the
victims, reportedly, had been shot more than once.  The
owner, Richard Ehlenfeldt, had been shot once in the head,
assassination style. His wife, Lynn Ehhlenfeldt, had been
stabbed in the neck and shot.  According to evidence
technicians, a "bloody mop" was discovered hidden in the rear
of the building.  Police say that it is extremely likely that
the murder scene had been "cleaned up" prior to discovery.

Investigators say that the brutality of the killings doesn't
coincide well with the seemingly methodical cleaning of the
murder scene.  They say that this attempt to cover up the
facts of the murders would appear to be the work of someone
who had planned the act, rather than a "spur of the moment"
impulse killing of the restaurant workers.  One police
officer even hypothesized that there were at least two and
maybe three invaders, at least two guns, and that the
assailants were members of a black or latino street gang.
His hypothesis includes a "rape attempt" on the woman store
owner and that the scene was partially cleaned in an attempt
to avoid arrest.

One thing is certain; there are more questions than answers
at this point in the investigation.  Reportedly, the Palatine
police department has requested and will utilize an FBI
computer-aided case management program to categorize and
analyze all of the leads that have been received.
Secondarily, they have requested the assistance of several
psychologists to attempt to piece together a psychological
profile of the killer(s).  Police feel that they need all of
the help possible to attempt to solve this hideous and
grisly crime that has placed the citizens of the normally
serene suburb of Palatine in great fear.

State's Attorney Jack O'Malley and Palatine Deputy Police
Chief Walter Gasior have done little to alleviate this fear.
Both have issued statements to the effect that there is still
a killer or killers "on the loose".  Both emphasized that the
surrounding communities must take additional safety
precautions and they acknowledged that the possibility exists
that the atrocities of the Palatine Brown's Chicken
Restaurant could happen again.  Several security analysts
suggest that the Attorney and Deputy Chief are correct and
that many suburban residents and businesses are lacking in
even rudimentary security issues.

According to Clark Staten, Executive Director of the Chicago-
based Emergency Response & Research Institute, "it is both
sad and ironic that the good people of Palatine, who
supposedly have fled the crime and violence of Chicago are
suddenly stricken with the realization that crimes like this
can happen anywhere, anytime, these days."  Staten said that
a typical example of this faulty mentality is the fact that
the rear entrance of the chicken restaurant was commonly left
open after closing time and that it may well have been the
entrance used by the assailants in the Palatine murders.

"This trusting attitude....that it can't happen here...is
commendable in an altruistic sort of way, but is very
unrealistic and dangerous in today's mobile society", Staten
continued.  "Many gang members and career criminals know that
there is little or nothing left to steal in the inner city,
that police patrols there are intensive, and that the
suburban and rural residents aren't cognizant of the very
real threat that awaits them", he added.  "Hopefully, if the
tragic events of Palatine accomplish nothing else, they will
sensitize people to the fact that crime can and will happen
anywhere", Staten concluded.

___________________________________________________________________

MAJOR HEPATITUS-A OUTBREAK FEARED IN DENVER

Denver, CO - Colorado public health authorities say that they
have been "overwhelmed" in attempting to contact as many as 5,000
Denver area residents that may have been exposed to Hepatitus-A as
the result of eating catered food that may have been contaminated.
According to Dr. Richard Hoffman, of the Colorado Dept. of Public
Health, at least ten (10) cases of the potentially dangerous
disease have been diagnosed since the end of November, 1992.
Unfortunately, five (5) of the persons diagnosed with the disease
were reported to be employees of one of Denver's largest and oldest
catering firms.

The infected employees are said to work for the LePetit Gourmet
Catering of Denver.  Three other persons who have recently been
diagnosed with the liver damaging disease had attended parties
where food was prepared and served by the LePetit company.  Health
department officials say that they are concerned because LePetit
records indicate that the firm served food at as many as 90
different holiday parties during the Thanksgiving and Christmas
holiday season.

Hepatitus-A is normally spread by the ingestion of contaminated
food or water that has been previously been in contact with the
fecal matter of someone who has an active case of Hepatitus.
Officials fear that the employees of the catering firm had active
cases of the disease while preparing the holiday meals.  Symptoms
of the disease include malaise, fever, weight loss, nausea and
vomiting, jaundice, darkened urine and even death.

Colorado health department employees say that the disease usually
manifests itself after an approiximate two week incubation period
and that the magnitude of the outbreak will be evident by the
middle of January, 1993. Persons suspected of having any of the
above symptoms are urged to contact their personal physicians for
testing and appropriate medical follow-up.

___________________________________________________________________

AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE, INC. BECOMES EVEN BIGGER

Boston, MA - The nation's only publically held private ambulance
service announced Dec. 28th, 1992 that it had consummated the
acquisition of the Denver-based Ambulance Service Company. American
Medical Response, INC. (New York Stock Exchange symbol: EMT) is the
nation's leading provider of emergency and non-emergency pre-
hosptial transportation.  Ambulance Service Company was Colorado's
largest private provider of emergency medical services and had
revenues exceeding eight (8) million dollars during fiscal 1991.
Complete terms of the take-over were not released, but the
president of American Service Company indicated in his statement
that the merger was a "friendly" alliance.

American Medical Response, INC. (AMR) currently serves
approximately four and a half million (4,500,000 Million) people in
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Mississippi, and now Colorado.
A spokesperson for the company said that AMR responded to more than
300,000 calls during 1992 and had net revenues in 1991 of more than
ninety-four (94,000,000) million dollars.  the spokesperson said
that AMR intends to continue it policy of aggressive corporate
acquistion, while consolidating currently existing companies in
it's service areas.

___________________________________________________________________

MOORESTOWN, N.J. MALL DESTROYED BY FIRE

Moorestown, NJ - An early morning extra alarm fire swept through a
mall in the Philadelpia suburb of Moorestown, N.J. on December 23,
1992.  The fire, which was reported at approximately 08:00 a.m.,
required a response of approximately 300 firefighters and thirty
(30) different pieces of fire apparatus from several departments
to quell the rapidly spreading blaze. Moorestown is located
approximately ten (10) miles East of Philadelphia.  According to
local fire officials, firefighters battled the fire for more than
six (6) hours prior to it being brought under control.

The fire reportedly started in a "Hermann's World of Sporting
Goods" store in the mall and quickly spread to five (5) adjoining
stores.  Fire officials report that the "Hermann's" store was not
equipped with a sprinkler system that could have controlled the
extension of the flames. According to mall employees, the five
stores were completely destroyed and at leaswt six (6) other stores
were damaged by smoke and water damage.

At least one firefighter and a mall security guard were transported
to an area hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Another
firefighter was reported injuried due to flying glass caused by
spontaneously breakage of the store plate-glass windows.  Fire
officials had not determined the cause of the fire at the time of
this report, but indicated that it was under thorough
investigation.

___________________________________________________________________

(c) EmergencyNet NEWS Service, 1993
May be reprinted with permission of:
Emergency Response & Research Institute
5656 N. Moody St., Chicago, IL 60646

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(c) EmergencyNet NEWS, 1993
Emergency Response & Research Institute
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