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In the next county over, Plymoth Ambulance seems to be having LOTS of problems in the news recently:
Problem #1 - Financial Questions...
Some members of the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association are under heavy fire for a series of questionable purchases.
Montgomery County prosecutors are alleging that more than $1 million earmarked for running the volunteer emergency service was spent instead on a wide array of eyebrow-raising extravagances.
Three unpaid volunteer leaders of the Plymouth ambulance corps are reportedly at the center of the investigation: Harvey S. Grossman, the association's chief financial officer and treasurer; association president Jeff Cohen; and chief operations officer George Gilliano.
No charges have been filed, but all three have been stripped of power while the criminal investigation continues. Last week, police raided Grossman's home and removed a variety of furnishings - right down to the pillows - they suspect were purchased on the association's tab.
This was pulled from a Philly Inquirer Columnist's take on the issue.. I can't find the original article, with pics of the raid...
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13695459.htm
Problem #2 - Medic fired over postings on Blog on internet
From http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13705467.htm
John Durante, acting president of the ambulance's board of directors, said yesterday that the employee was fired Jan. 13 for misuse of a computer and "inappropriate comments" about emergency victims on her blog.
Durante declined to identify the former employee other than to say she was a female paramedic. Durante said he had not seen the photos and text on the woman's blog.
"It's a personnel matter and I can't say anything else," Durante said.
The site, which is no longer available over the Internet, reportedly contained photos and captions of people who needed Plymouth Ambulance's services. One image showed Mexicans jumping from a building fire with the words "Mexican jumping beans" as the caption, according to the Times Herald of Norristown.
The blog reportedly contained a statement suggesting that Norristown's poor residents used 911 calls and the ambulance as a "taxi service."
Rest at: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13705467.htm
Problem #3 - Medic Arrested and Fired for theft and tampering with Schedule II drugs.
A Plymouth Community Ambulance paramedic was fired Friday, the second employee firing in as many weeks.
The termination also comes at a time when a grand jury is investigating allegations of fraud and embezzlement by members of the nonprofit ambulance company's board of directors.
Friday, John P. Durante, acting board president, fired the paramedic, who was charged with burglary and drug offenses after allegedly stealing narcotics for his personal use. Doug Entenman, 36, of Magnolia, Del., is awaiting arraignment.
<SNIP>
Police charge that Entenman removed morphine sulfate and fentanyl citrate, both controlled substances, from ambulances and replaced them with a saline solution. Entenman replaced vial caps using glue in a bid to cover up the thefts, police said.
Durante said ambulance officials continue to investigate whether any patients received the saline solution instead of a narcotic but said it "doesn't appear" that that had happened.
From: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/13736518.htm
Problem #1 - Financial Questions...
Some members of the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association are under heavy fire for a series of questionable purchases.
Montgomery County prosecutors are alleging that more than $1 million earmarked for running the volunteer emergency service was spent instead on a wide array of eyebrow-raising extravagances.
Three unpaid volunteer leaders of the Plymouth ambulance corps are reportedly at the center of the investigation: Harvey S. Grossman, the association's chief financial officer and treasurer; association president Jeff Cohen; and chief operations officer George Gilliano.
No charges have been filed, but all three have been stripped of power while the criminal investigation continues. Last week, police raided Grossman's home and removed a variety of furnishings - right down to the pillows - they suspect were purchased on the association's tab.
This was pulled from a Philly Inquirer Columnist's take on the issue.. I can't find the original article, with pics of the raid...
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13695459.htm
Problem #2 - Medic fired over postings on Blog on internet
From http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13705467.htm
John Durante, acting president of the ambulance's board of directors, said yesterday that the employee was fired Jan. 13 for misuse of a computer and "inappropriate comments" about emergency victims on her blog.
Durante declined to identify the former employee other than to say she was a female paramedic. Durante said he had not seen the photos and text on the woman's blog.
"It's a personnel matter and I can't say anything else," Durante said.
The site, which is no longer available over the Internet, reportedly contained photos and captions of people who needed Plymouth Ambulance's services. One image showed Mexicans jumping from a building fire with the words "Mexican jumping beans" as the caption, according to the Times Herald of Norristown.
The blog reportedly contained a statement suggesting that Norristown's poor residents used 911 calls and the ambulance as a "taxi service."
Rest at: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13705467.htm
Problem #3 - Medic Arrested and Fired for theft and tampering with Schedule II drugs.
A Plymouth Community Ambulance paramedic was fired Friday, the second employee firing in as many weeks.
The termination also comes at a time when a grand jury is investigating allegations of fraud and embezzlement by members of the nonprofit ambulance company's board of directors.
Friday, John P. Durante, acting board president, fired the paramedic, who was charged with burglary and drug offenses after allegedly stealing narcotics for his personal use. Doug Entenman, 36, of Magnolia, Del., is awaiting arraignment.
<SNIP>
Police charge that Entenman removed morphine sulfate and fentanyl citrate, both controlled substances, from ambulances and replaced them with a saline solution. Entenman replaced vial caps using glue in a bid to cover up the thefts, police said.
Durante said ambulance officials continue to investigate whether any patients received the saline solution instead of a narcotic but said it "doesn't appear" that that had happened.
From: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/13736518.htm
It's not like she was lying about what was going on. :blink: Perhaps they're upset because it has become public knowledge. I know there are many things the media should know about (especially on those slow news days) -- like being understaffed, not enough working trucks, insects, etc.
