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"The vehicle was selected by the computer for an exam," said Chief Ron Smith, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "It requires that another entry be made to close out the inspection." In this case, he said, border officials looked at the ambulance driver's licence and had the vehicle back on the road in three minutes.
"He's feeling good, he's just really tired," said his colleague, Ken Lewenza, who spoke with Mr. [Rick Laporte] yesterday afternoon.
WINDSOR - The speeding ambulance sent to secondary inspection at the Detroit border last week was pulled over by random computer selection, a U.S. customs official said yesterday.
"The vehicle was selected by the computer for an exam," said Chief Ron Smith, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "It requires that another entry be made to close out the inspection." In this case, he said, border officials looked at the ambulance driver's licence and had the vehicle back on the road in three minutes.
Chief Smith said while ambulances have been sent briefly to secondary inspection before, this was the first time a computer randomly chose an emergency vehicle for an extra exam. He said U.S. officials are now taking another look at the policy, which does not allow border agents to override the computer selection in the case of emergency vehicles.
Rick Laporte, 49, had already twice been revived after a heart attack as he was being rushed to hospital in the U.S. when his ambulance was pulled over. The driver ran inside to show ID.
Mr. Laporte is back in hospital in Windsor recuperating from surgery.
"He's feeling good, he's just really tired," said his colleague, Ken Lewenza, who spoke with Mr. Laporte yesterday afternoon.
Essex-Windsor EMS management said a review of the call indicates proper procedure was followed and it is satisfied with U.S. border guard actions.
EMS operations manager Dean Wilkinson said Windsor ambulances have been taking patients to Detroit in recent years, and likely will bring 150 this year -- most without incident.
"I would hate to see that working relationship damaged because of one incident," he said.
Credit: The Windsor Star
(Copyright The Ottawa Citizen 2007)