EMTs Accused of Ignoring Dying Woman Get Suspended, Investigated

This sorry scenario is an example of the shitty and moronic attitude that unions instill in trades. Their 9-5 half-ass outlook on their work is a disgrace and extends to practicely every field out there. The entitlement they think they deserve to receive and the idea that they can work as hard as they feel they need to, is both pathetic and un-American. they should be fired immediately and made and example of.

can we quit calling them EMTs? they were not, are not, and never were EMTs.

I can think of a lot of things to call those two garbages.

please note--this story comes from the NY Post, which very few people in the city take seriously. They've gotten big parts of it wrong out of the gate--these two were dispatchers (not EMT's), they had no medical equipment with them, they weren't operating an ambulance, and one of them DID call 9/11 before leaving the shop.

http://ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/top_stories/110776/two-emts-suspended-after-they-allegedly-ignore-dying-woman

Remember, this is the paper run by the man who also runs (and manages) Fox News.

You can't be a dispatcher for FDNY EMS unless you are an EMT or medic. I'm not going to argue over something I know is fact. They weren't 911 dispatchers who answer your call and have no medical training. They are EMT's. We are done going back and forth here. You are quite possibly the dumbest person I have ever spoken to on here. Don't bother responding I'm not checking for responses anymore.

I disagree, you're the dumbest one. No wonder you read the post.

I was actually responding on the old article Felix. My, it seems every single person on this blog hates you.

"Wrong, this is the first time that someone died. I know people who told me that when they stop a EMT Ambulance that the EMT informed them that it has to go through the dispatcher to direct them to the hospital that can take the patient."

-That's bullshit and they were lazy and didn't want to stop to help. They have to stop, even if you don't believe it. This is EXACTLY the reason why the have to stop.

"On the news, it stated these dispatchers never had contact with patients so how are they certified? . I still think Bloomberg as Mayor should be faulted if EMT policies aren't clearly defined. Where these 2 EMT mandated, not morally, but by their job description to help the pregnant woman? EMT aren't doctors so the don't take the hippocratic oath. Also, my personal trainer took the EMT test and he never had any patient contacts and was certified. He told me the EMT test was easier than his personal trainer certificate. So perhaps you're the moron."

-Okay you posted this exact same thing in the other article, and I responded to it there. I don't repeat myself, especially for an idiot like yourself.

"And there is a Big difference between EMT and the firefighter medical response. The firefighters are trained and knowledgeable, while a lot of the EMT act as if they still walk on all fours. EMT need not have any higher eduction. They don't even need a GED or diploma. They just need to pass the certification program and the test which is all multiple. My personal trainer had to take a written test and demonstrate to a board some of the training techniques to be certified as a trainer."

-Pretty much what you just said above. I also responded to this stupidity in the other article and I am not reposting it.

"This is why I said perhaps bloomberg should be faulted if they weren't any clear obligation per their job to respond. However commenter can't think outside the box. It's always black or white for them. EMTNYC comment some long bullshit that they HAVE To respond but if you read this story, there isn't any clear legal obligation. I bet you that they will be reinstated eventually and EMT policies will be changed and Bloomberg will still be Hailed a HERO."

-They do have to respond. Nowhere in this article does it say that there isn't any clear legal obligation. That's why the DA is involved. They are determining whether their actions warrant the NYS DOH revoking their certification cards. or if they did something criminal. Legal obligation does not necessary manifest itself in criminal penalties. Remember your reading comprehension, Felix. Oh, and "my long bullshit" is absolutely FACT and it has to be long because this blog is knee deep in your shitty comments.

So much bullshit, i don't know what part to respond. They stop because my co-worker ran to them but they didn't assist at all. They didn't even get out of the ambulance. They told her to call the dispatcher to direct the call.

Hello, NO where does it state that there is a Clear legal obligation and Also there is no indictment. The DA is involved because this is a high profile incident.

The fact that you started your comment with insults invalidates your comment and secondly, did you ask everybody on this site if they hated me. It is the 5 or 6 who support animal abuse that hate my comments . Your exaggeration invalidates your comment as well.

Does indifference and gross negligence ever lead to a good outcome? I don't care what their training was or wasn't, they had an obligation to remain there and at least coordinate the proper response...THEY ARE DISPATCHERS, are they not? So the wrong response arrived beacause those two self-involved shitbags didn't even do what they were trained to do. I hope they lose more than their careers.

Just FYI, if you are trained as an EMT-B (Basic-usually just called EMTs) you are not a paramedic or a medic, which requires an EMT-P (paramedic) license. Two very different skill sets and levels of training. The terms EMT and paramedic/medic should not be used in the same vein (no pun intended).

Nice pun. These words are used interchangeably in all of these articles.

Calling Al Sharpton! Where the hell is he? Too busy renaming streets after drug dealers?

These two should have been suspended without pay before the outrage of the public, the mayor and the top brass of the FDNY manifested itself. There was no reason for these two people to act in such a callous manner. There is absolutely no justification for what they did. I am waiting to see how the union will spin their actions.

All I hear are crickets for all those "know it alls" who stated yesterday that these 2 EMTs were obligated to respond. Where is EMTNYC with all his bull that EMTs must respond even during their breaks. They only have to respond if the dispatcher tell them not if a civilian pleads for her/his life. LMFAO. Again, they will be reinstated with back pay. You can all kiss Bloomberg's butt to thank your highness.

"All I hear are crickets for all those "know it alls" who stated yesterday that these 2 EMTs were obligated to respond."

You mean like the know it all who head their own union?

Pat Bahnken, president of the EMT and Paramedics Union, said paramedics' job is to always help those in need. "If these allegations are true, then they should be disciplined," he said.

From http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/22/2009-12-22_call_911_emts_are_suspended.html

And before someone says they weren't paramedics so the above doesn't apply, you'll see that the union president didn't call them that. The clueless DN reporter did. Bahnken was speaking specifically about Green and Jackson; he didn't mention their job title.

Yes, the DN calls them paramedics when we know now that they aren't. Strange how the News screws things up. the initial reports described them as EMT tech but yesterday NY1 reported them as dispatchers. This quote from the Union Head is vague for me still. I bet you that they will not be prosecuted legally and they will not be fired. They city will force them to resign with severance to save face. Also, my co-worker told me that EMT driver, that she stopped, refuse to help a drunk homeless man on her steps and told her to call the dispatcher to route the call. He stated that the She has to make the call so the dispatcher can direct the call and that any EMT can be assigned to the call and not necessary him.

I think that EMT can't respond without a dispatcher's order. I really think that is their procedure. Morally, they are inhumane but I think they follow their job guidelines stated. I don't know any EMT to asked but EMNNYC lied, they aren't obligated to help during their breaks unlike NYPD. I can be wrong but I don't think so.

What is your point? Everything must follow protocol? I hope you are never in the situation that this woman was in and die because procedure wasn't followed. Get lost, lowlife.

It is easy to hang people than to learn the facts and solve the problem. IF the EMTs were off duty they had no legal obligation to help her. It's not "nice" or the traditional TV version of what "should" be done, but that's the simple truth.

Also they were not EMTs but EMDs, a slight different. Not only were they not legally obligated to help her but perhaps they didn't have the ability anyhow to help her.

IIt is very easy for some lawyer to say that something they did was the cause of her death. Even if there was no possible way to save her. They faced the possibliity of massive legal fees, even if they won the case. In the absence of good malpractice insurance they faced the loss of everything they own if they lost (and any doctor will tell you, being innocent is no guarantee of winning a malpractice suit).

NO, my point asshole before you insulted me is that perhaps EMT should revised their procedure to prevent such a tragedy. It is easy to hung people then to solve the underlying problem. And you are an asshole to wish someone bad. Karma will deal with you.

"initial reports described them as EMT tech but yesterday NY1 reported them as dispatchers."

They are certified EMTs, and apparently have worked in the field but haven't done so "in years." They have been since then assigned to work in dispatch, in the same building where this incident happened.

Other than that, sorry, but you're writing so incomprehensibly today that I'm not even going to try to figure out what the rest of your post means.

No, actually, we're all pretty much ignoring you, which I'm now going back to.

Nope, because you were WRONG. And since when do you speak for "WE". Pathetic. All you know it alls including EMTNYC who stated it was against EMT code? What code? D'uh, think before you post please.

Yawn.

How soon till these two get a street named after them?

Solution, no more unioned uniformed desk jobs. Plain clothes civil workers only at desk jobs.

"And they did the best they could." ...by walking off so they can have their post-coital breakfast, no doubt. Can't call in the emergency, themselves, no... they'll get in trouble for taking part in any way.

Exactly. One would hope that "the best they could" would include staying on the scene until the ambulance arrived, just in case the stricken person took a turn for the worse.

"If they reacted, they could get in trouble"? Well, they didn't react and guess what? They're really in trouble. Dummies. Their careers are over.

a dispatcher in NYC starts out at $32,000. Just curious how many people posting on this board [of those that are actually employed] are surviving on that?

If you don't like your job, change careers. But don't ever say they're not paying you enough so you're not going to do the job right, especially when lives are on the line. A lot of people would have tried to help that woman even though they aren't paid a cent to do so. That's basic human decency.

Also, this isn't the first time that EMT refuse to help someone on the streets but it is the first time that someone died.

This is why I said perhaps bloomberg should be faulted if they weren't any clear obligation per their job to respond. However commenter can't think outside the box. It's always black or white for them. EMTNYC comment some long bullshit that they HAVE To respond but if you read this story, there isn't any clear legal obligation. I bet you that they will be reinstated eventually and EMT policies will be changed and Bloomberg will still be Hailed a HERO.

And there is a Big difference between EMT and the firefighter medical response. The firefighters are trained and knowledgeable, while a lot of the EMT act as if they still walk on all fours. EMT need not have any higher eduction. They don't even need a GED or diploma. They just need to pass the certification program and the test which is all multiple. My personal trainer had to take a written test and demonstrate to a board some of the training techniques to be certified as a trainer.

FOR EMTNYC

On the news, it stated these dispatchers never had contact with patients so how are they certified? . I still think Bloomberg as Mayor should be faulted if EMT policies aren't clearly defined. Where these 2 EMT mandated, not morally, but by their job description to help the pregnant woman? EMT aren't doctors so the don't take the hippocratic oath. Also, my personal trainer took the EMT test and he never had any patient contacts and was certified. He told me the EMT test was easier than his personal trainer certificate. So perhaps you're the moron.

GOOD.

Yep, these two should be held accountable.

IMO, these two are the exception and not the rule.

Wrong, this is the first time that someone died. I know people who told me that when they stop a EMT Ambulance that the EMT informed them that it has to go through the dispatcher to direct them to the hospital that can take the patient.