This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Some recent articles about folks wondering if the government is doing enough to protect us from businesses that don't know — or don't care — what they are doing.
— State needs to provider better regulation of air ambulance services — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial
" ... So it is particularly troublesome to read in Sunday's Salt Lake Tribune that the growing number of air ambulance services in Utah are finding ways to take flight, and send bills, without the kind of oversight that should be taken for granted. ..."
— Utah's new air ambulance companies raise the prices, and maybe danger, for patients — Brian Maffly and Eric S. Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune
" ... In the past year, four new medical helicopters have been established at Utah bases, bringing the number of rotary-wing ambulances serving the state to 20. Many are operated by profit-driven companies, which charge more for transport services than established players. ..."
— 'I do not want to die on the job' — Former worker for Utah-owned air ambulance blasts long shifts — Salt Lake Tribune
"Former employees say that many of the air ambulance companies under the Air Medical Resource Group (AMRG), headquartered in South Jordan, shirk safety to save money by requiring medical crews to work shifts lasting seven days or longer. ..."
— A Boy Died on This Water Slide—in One of the Many States That Barely Ensure That Rides Are Safe — Helaine Olen | Slate
"Earlier this month, USA Today placed the Verruckt water side at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on the top of its list of the '13 Best Outdoor Water Park Rides' in America. 'Insanity,' the newspaper proclaimed of the attraction, which is the world's largest water slide, dropping riders by 17 floors in a few terrifying seconds.
"On Sunday, a few days after that article appeared, Caleb Schwab, the 10-year-old son of a Kansas state legislator, died on that ride. The circumstances of his death are still murky, though one Kansas City television station is reporting that parkgoers claim the ride's harness wasn't working properly. One thing, however, is almost certain: the dismal state of amusement park regulations in the United States, which allow attractions in Kansas and many other states to effectively evade any serious government safety oversight. ..."
" ... 'And that was it,' Allyson Mendenhall said. 'You just go home with one less kid.'..."
— Blistering report details nursing home deaths — The Boston Globe
"Braemoor Health Center nurses and aides lacked the training to revive a dementia patient suffering an apparent heart attack, and the patient died, according to a blistering state report released Thursday. ..."
— Newborn's death raises new questions about regulation of fertility clinics — Christopher O'Donnell and Tony Marrero | The Tampa Bay Times
"Kathleen Steele was 61, a widow and raising two young children alone when a New York fertility clinic agreed to help her have a third child.
"Less than two weeks after Steele gave birth, the newborn died after being tossed and pummeled by her 6-year-old brother when she left them alone in a minivan.
"The death of Steele's baby this week has raised new questions about the regulation of fertility clinics and their part in making childbirth an option for women well beyond traditional child-bearing age.
"The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends physicians discourage women older than 55 from seeking fertility treatments. It warns there are increased likelihood of health risks for both mother and child, and that parents' ability to care for their children diminishes as they age. ..."
— Should the government step in to prevent hot car deaths? — Kelly Wallace | CNN
" ... "You can't buy a car (today) that doesn't turn your headlights off for you or remind you to turn off your headlights," said Fennell, who argues these changes in cars show that the auto industry knows people are human and will forget to do things like turn off the car's lights.
" 'And the question just begging to be answered is, who has decided it's more important not to have a dead car battery than a dead baby? And I don't say that to be harsh or sensational. It's just a fact.'..."