May 30, 1977

NY Times survey of ambulance services finds wide variations in efficiency and capabilities of rescue systems; emergency med systems have improved but deficiencies still exist that undoubtedly cost tens of thousands of lives each yr; survey finds more than 1/2 of US ambulances are inadequately equipped for advanced life-saving techniqes, many major cities lack central emergency phone number and ambulances in some cities seriously compromise victim's chance of survival because of long response time; illus (M)

160 dead, 130 hurt; fire officials fear toll could go higher; say 3,500-4,000 were in club, which had capacity of 5,000; volunteer firemen, police and civilians from surrounding communities and Salvation Army and Red Cross volunteers showed up during night; list of identified victims; illus (L)

Wage and Price Stability Council asks ICC to permit intercity buses to pick up and deliver parcels to homes and businesses (S)

Goddard Lieberson, pres of Columbia Records for 19 yrs, who introduced long-playing records in US, dies at age 66; career; por (M)

Health & Hosps Corp initiates plan to replace fragmented and outmoded ambulance services with unified and highly skilled corps of paramedic teams; goal is citywide advanced life-support system manned by paramedics and integrated within corp's newly designed Emergency Med Service and 911 police communications network; corp exec vp Joseph T Lynaugh says rivalry among competing ambulance services has produced what he describes as 'patient rustling,' with ambulance crews vying with 1 another for injured victims and ins reimbursements they represent; Dr Walter F Pizzi, surgeon at Beekman-Downtown Hosp, scores current service; Dr John Z Bowers, pres of Josiah Macy Jr Foundation, which commissioned study of ambulance system, comments; illus (M)