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I'd like to wish a Happy New Year to our readers as we wrap up 2008 and embark on the new opportunities and unknowns of 2009. The holiday season has been busy in EMS.

In world events, dozens of people were killed and injured during a New Year's nightclub party in Bangkok, Thailand. Victims suffered burns, smoke inhalation and stampede injuries.

Read more at Dozens Killed and Injured in Bangkok New Year's Nightclub Party Blaze.

In the most-read tragedy of the season, a Texas family was killed and two responders were injured in a Christmas-Day ambulance crash.

Pronounced dead were a Shreveport mother and her adult twin sons. They were involved in a crash at an intersection with a Bonham Fire Department ambulance, returning to its station after answering a call. The responders were treated and released.

Read more at Texas Ambulance Involved in Christmas Triple Fatality Crash.

In a brutal holiday shooting spree, a gunman dressed as Santa Claus shot nine people at his former in-laws California home during a Christmas Eve party and then torched the house. The violence began with the gunman shooting an 8-year-old girl who opened the door, and ended with his suicide after he left the scene.

For the latest visit 911 Call Released from California Santa Massacre.

A tragic line of duty death occurred this December 20th when a Delaware responder was struck by a car while assisting the victim of a motorcycle accident. The driver sideswiped a police cruiser on the scene, struck the responder and motorcycle victim, and fled the scene. He has since been charged with murder.

Michelle Smith of the Delaware City Fire Company was a volunteer firefighter and rescue driver.

Read more at Murder Charged in Delaware Responder's Death.

Finally, in one of numerous December avalanche deaths, a Colorado paramedic/firefighter was killed while snowmobiling with friends. According to reports, Brian Kopp of the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority tried to assist his friends, a father and son pair, before becoming caught in the avalanche himself. Of those men, the father survived but the teen son died along with Kopp.

Read more at Avalanche Claims Colorado Rescuer.

Exclusive on EMSResponder.com:

Making Opportunities; Madison, Ms. Fire Department Creates Child Safety House

"It started with a conversation in passing," writes Lisa Valadie, a former EMS Magazine Paramedic of the Year. "I was trying to raise money to get a child safety house to take to schools and daycares to teach fire safety education." Click to read how Lisa's group used a combination of fundraising, assistance and creativity to build what they could not afford to buy.

Featured Column:

Filling a Vacancy

"It is generally agreed that an organization's most valuable asset are the employees," writes EMS management columnist Paul Murphy. As EMS leaders look to new opportunities in 2009, Paul offers tips toward creating a more effective EMS team.

Featured Job:

Family Support Specialist - New York Organ Donor Network

Provides specialized acute crisis support intervention services for newly bereaved families of potential organ and tissue donors. Experience as an EMT and or Paramedic, BA/BS in counseling, psychology or social services from a college or university and one-two years with related experience and/or training preferred.

Click above for details and visit www.EMSResponder.com/jobs for additional listings.

Sign up here to receive the new EMS Jobs e-newsletter.

Featured Forum Thread:

Medics w/ individual (1 person) response vehicles?

"Where in the US are they using this system?" asks forum member URNICUS.

Click to read this week's lively discussion on the single-responder concept, or browse other topics at www.emsresponder.com/forums.

Poll Question:

How do you feel about working on holidays?

Click to participate, and view previous polls at www.EMSResponder.com/polls.

Reminders:

EMSResponder.com is now on Facebook

We invite you to stop by our new page, leave us a note, and sign up as a fan.

Free Posters

Two posters are available from EMSResponder.com for free and unlimited distribution. Click to open the PDFs for the E2B Challenge poster and the ICARE poster.

To learn more about these topics visit www.EMSResponder.com/e2b and Do You Care Enough to ICARE?

Other top headlines this week on EMSResponder.com:

• Review Probes California Bus Crash Response, Exposes Flaws
• Ohio 911 Worker Accused of Theft
• Scandal Hits Massachusetts Responders
• D.C. to Probe EMS Actions in 'Acid Reflux' Death
• Patient Dies Following California Ambulance Crash
• Holiday Workers Find Ways to Keep in Good Spirits
• Driver Struck by Florida Ambulance Dies
• 1 Dead, 18 Injured in Atlanta Construction Tragedy
• 38 Injured in Denver Jet Mishap
• California Court: Would-Be Good Samaritan Can Be Sued

About Heather Caspi, EMSResponder.com Editor-in-Chief
Heather Caspi has been a public safety journalist since 2000, beginning as a reporter for sister site Firehouse.com. She later became the assistant news editor for Firehouse.com and Officer.com, and led the launch of EMSResponder.com in 2005. She graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in Journalism and English Language and Literature, and earned her EMT-B at Merritt College in Oakland, California. She can be reached at Heather.Caspi@cygnusb2b.com.