Mayor blasts EMT who refused to help: Pregnant woman collapsed while they were on break. Woman dies.

[Liberal_in_LA]

NYC mayor blasts EMTs accused of refusing to help

NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Michael Bloomberg has criticized two New York City emergency medical technicians accused of ignoring a pregnant woman who had collapsed in the coffee shop where they were taking a break. The woman and her baby later died.
Bloomberg said Monday that refusing to help goes against human decency.

The Fire Department is investigating the Dec. 9 death of 25-year-old Eutisha Revee Rennix. The EMTs are accused of telling employees at the eatery in Brooklyn to call 911 and then leaving when employees asked them to help.

Rennix died at a nearby hospital.

The Fire Department declined to comment further pending the investigation. A message left for Rennix's mother was not immediately returned.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-21-nyc-emts-blasted_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

[Hannah Bell]

1. bloomberg is a fucking hypocrite.

[MadBadger]

3. Did Bloomberg ignore somebody who collaspsed in a coffee shop?

And did he have experience as an EMT?

No?

Then WTF???

[BrklynLiberal]

8. I am not a Bloomberg fan..but you are right. That post is totally ridiculous.

[Hannah Bell]

19. He's a murdering hypocrite.

"But, that is not the end to how far reaching these cuts are. Is your house or apartment on fire? Watch out. Bloomberg intends to eliminate three engine companies and one Ladder Company, 30 Basic Life Support Tours and EMS workers."

http://www.countercurrents.org/wharton090209.htm.


When the New York City Fire Department took over EMS in 1996, they stopped training EMS Paramedics at the EMS Academy for approximately five years' time. A battered FDNY/EMS Ambulance under the overhang of the damaged Millennium Hilton on 9/12.Because of FDNY's short-sightedness, the EMS side of the system is short at least 100 Paramedics. And, given the poor pay of City Paramedics, the prospects of Mayor Bloomberg hiring additional Paramedics to fill this gap are not very good. After destroying the high standards of the 30 year old New York City EMS Paramedic program, the New York City Fire Department is currently seeking permission from the New York State Department of Health to dilute the current dual-staffed Paramedic ambulance crews in New York City. If FDNY gets their way, they will be allowed to downgrade a New York City Advanced Life Support ambulance to have one Paramedic and one Emergency Medical Technician on board. These changes to the current EMS systems are sure to have a negative impact on the EMS patient's chances of surviving a cardiac arrest or other serious medical emergencies.

In 2000, the New York City Fire Department allowed commercial, for-profit firms to get into the 911 system, after then TransCare Chief Operating Officer Steven Zackheim made illegal campaign contributions to the Giuliani PACs. The anti-union TransCare commercial ambulance company is secretly operating approximately 25% of the 911 ambulances in the City of New York under subcontracts with various New York City hospitals.

These subcontracting hospitals are anxious to have TransCare ambulances bring patients back to their respective emergency rooms, while allowing TransCare to bill the 911 patients under the hospital's name. Your local hospital may operate ambulances within the EMS 911 system, but they are free to bill you whatever they like. That's different from FDNY EMS ambulances, who must charge a set fee.

http://www.nycemsauthority.com/


During the hearing, Scoppetta said that the department’s budget is earmarked for counterterrorism initiatives, training services and new equipment to enhance emergency medical response. Crowley questioned his priorities, in light of the fact that firehouses are closing under the current budget.

“How can you talk about using the budget to enhance the emergency medical response through training and counterterrorism initiatives when the reality is you are closing firehouses and cutting out firefighters?” asked Crowley. “Doesn’t closing firehouses reduce the response time and put people at greater risk? There seems to be a case of mistaken priorities.”

According to the Uniformed Firefighters Association, just the nighttime closing of Engine Company 271 has resulted in the loss of several homes. In the early morning of March 18, with the company shut for the night, a three-alarm fire destroyed three homes and several neighborhood stores located near the Ridgewood Senior Citizen Center.

http://forumnewsgroup.blogspot.com/2009/03/outrage-over-engine-271-closing.html


Bloomberg: Fire Department Cuts Won't Hurt Security
by Arun Venugopal
NEW YORK, NY December 02, 2009 —

Starting today the city's Fire Department will be cutting staff size at about a quarter of its engine companies. The cuts are due to a higher medical absentee rate, which has cost the city increased overtime. Mayor Bloomberg defends the cuts.

BLOOMBERG: The fire department believes that they can provide the security that the city needs. And in any case. We're always making decisions as to how much we can afford.

REPORTER: The Fire Department says 49 of its 194 engine companies will be staffed by four people, instead of five. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer joined the firefighters' union in criticizing the cuts, saying firefighters would be placed in greater danger.

http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/145373

[rcrush]

24. Well theres 2 he can get rid of right there!

[rcrush]

2. They were on break?

What are they? Cops?

[LiberalFighter]

5. Even cops respond to an emergency. Don't they?

[rcrush]

9. Maybe

Usually when I see cops on break they are taking a nap in the patrol car under the freeway.

But they probably would have just tazered the pregnant woman.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Even off-duty cops respond to emergencies and especially off-duty firemen,

and the EMTs are part of the Fire Department.

[TwilightGardener]

4. I've never known medical personnel to act like that. That's just...cold.

Especially if they had their rig parked outside.

[Warpy]

6. If they were off duty, that means the only things they had with them

to assist the woman were their uniforms. She needed EMTs with access to resuscitation equipment and their request to the store to call 911 for assistance was the appropriate action.

I don't know what NY has in the way of Samaritan laws, but they could have placed themselves in legal liability had they stayed and tried to do anything.

Seriously, beyond making sure her airway was open, there was very little they could have done and I'm sure they knew it.

Bloomberg is an ignorant ass.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. Is there any chance that their ambulance and equipment were closer than any of those that were

called? Sorry, they were there..and they had the knowledge and the responsibility to do something.

They are cold and unfeeling, and deserve to be prosecuted.

[Warpy]

23. Bullshit

An off duty medical person is no more compelled to assist than any other civilian.

While my action in a similar situation was to make sure the person was in the rescue position and the airway was open, I also told them to call 911. There is not much anyone can do without the appropriate drugs and equipment.

The EMTs were under no legal obligation to assist.

This is a PR mess, not a legal one.

[BrklynLiberal]

30. It appears their union disagrees with you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7290482&mesg_id=7290610

Accordng to a union representative, there is no such thing as a responsibility-free break during which citizens are either not allowed to need medical aid or EMTs are not required to aid them. Medics have a resposibility to help those in need when they are in-uniform, and their refusal to attend to Rennix constituted an "act of abandonment."

[jets68]

45. wrong warpy

A coffee break is not considered off duty, they were in uniform and on shift. The EMTS are guilty of abandonment. This is not only a legal issue but also a pr mess for the FDNY. The 2 emt's have dishonored our profession and should not only be fired but have their certifications stripped and never be allowed to practice in the city or state of New York, but I'm sure they will get a job with Transcare.

[snagglepuss]

32. What they did is inhuman. They should lose their jobs. This attitude

is not at all acceptable for this line of work.

[niyad]

21. my guess, based on friends who are emt's--is that the rig was right outside.

does any emt leave the rig somewhere else and take a private car while they are on duty, break or not?

[Warpy]

25. It said "off duty."

I've stopped for breakfast on my way home after a night shift and in my uniform.

[niyad]

29. no, it said "on break"

[polly7]

31. Not that I've ever heard of.

At least not up here, and I don't imagine it's any different there. We do have the responsibility to respond to any emergency while on duty, even if on a break.

[Realityhack]

37. The link said on a break not off duty...

Do you have a better link? The one in the OP doesn't provide much information. I don't have any idea how far their equipment was.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Wouldn't this qualify as criminally negligent homicide?

Those EMTs should be brought to trial....they ABSOLUTELY contributed tot he death of this woman and her baby.

[TwilightGardener]

12. I don't know that they had a DUTY to the woman. And it's likely

that they couldn't have done much if they didn't have any equipment nearby. It's just an ethical issue, IMO.

[BrklynLiberal]

14. What are the odds that their equipment was closer than that called by 911?

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. From union: their refusal to attend to Rennix constituted an "act of abandonment."

Here's a good use of New York taxpayer dollars: salaries for EMTs who only save lives when they aren't eating. While lunching at a Brooklyn, NY, Au Bon Pain Dec. 9, two of New York City's finest were asked for medical asistance for preganant cafe worker Eutisha Revee Rennix, 25, who was complaining of stomach pains and shortness of breath. Did they drop their baguettes and rush to the woman's aid? Nope. Just as helpfully, the two medics advised the other Au Bon Pain employees to call 911 because they were not on the clock and thus couldn't help.

"I remember them saying they couldn't do anything because they were on their break," a witness said, according to globalgrind.com.

Accordng to a union representative, there is no such thing as a responsibility-free break during which citizens are either not allowed to need medical aid or EMTs are not required to aid them. Medics have a resposibility to help those in need when they are in-uniform, and their refusal to attend to Rennix constituted an "act of abandonment."

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/dec/21/if-you-dont-want-die-new-york-city-make-sure-its-n/

[BrklynLiberal]

26. Hope the EMTs get what they deserve.

minor point
It is the NYC police who are "The Finest". Ironically, the EMTs are part of the Fire Department..who are called "The Bravest".

[TwilightGardener]

22. As I said above, if they had their rig parked nearby, then it's hard to

see why they couldn't interrupt their break and try to assist. Even if they had nothing, they should have at least tried to assess the woman's status. However, the legal question is, did they have a professional duty to treat this woman? Not sure that they did, but it depends on NY laws.

[Gwendolyn]

33. In this case it's possible their equipment was at the fire house.

This Au Bon Pain is 600 feet away from the fire house and apparently is usually busting at the seams with fire fighters and EMT guys. The 911 dispatch office is upstairs from the location where the woman died. The team that did respond was also later cited as missing some needed equipment.

These two EMTs probably thought that because the house was so close they were off the hook.

The NYPost is a crappola paper, but for stories like this, they are the go to people.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/emt_duo_on_break_let_preg_mom_die_mrj8Jv8kjmS0Z3FNO4DmiL

[Realityhack]

39. apparently the union disagrees with your assesment. n/t

[Gwendolyn]

41. I didn't make an assessment. Just passed on an article. n/t

[Realityhack]

43. I appologize.

I should have read more carefully. I am sorry I missattributed that to you.

[Gwendolyn]

44. No biggie, and now that the news media is on it, that story is already outdated...

a day later. :D Turns out they were dispatchers and worked in the same building as the Au Bon Pain.

[whistler162]

11. Two less EMT's and probably two future jail birds.....

as a former EMT I find this unforgivable.

[BrklynLiberal]

15. I agree.

[dysfunctional press]

16. i'll wait for all the facts.

this article doesn't have them all.

[AngryAmish]

27. How dare you.

Please remember this is DU, where uninformed speculation and shouting by stupid people is the coin is the coin of the realm.

[goldcanyonaz]

17. The EMTs are accused of telling employees to call 911 and then leaving when asked to help.

DISGUSTING!

[KansDem]

18. "...refusing to help goes against human decency."

For some strange reason, I'm reminded of the recent HCR "debate" that occurred in both Congress and the media...

[Echo In Light]

34. And our tax $ is still being used to kill civilians in Iraq & Afghanistan

[Tailormyst]

28. WTF?

How could any medical professional not stop and help? Are they human? Is there more about the story we haven't heard?

[thenooch]

36. Back in the 70's...

"Station 51, 10-4. KMG 365." - Captain Stanley
"Ten-four, we're transmitting EKG. We're sending you a strip. Vitals to follow. Pulse is 160, the victim is in extreme pain, Rampart. V-fib!" - John Gage
"Patient is in V-fib! Rampart, we have lost the victim's pulse, beginning CPR. We're defibrialing victim, Rampart. Rampart, we have defibrilated victim, he has sinus rhythm." - Roy DeSoto
Squad 51, this is Rampart. Can you send us some EKG? - Dr. Kelly Brackett
Administer two-amp sodium bicarb, insert an airway. Start an IV, 51. Lactate Ringer's. - Dr. Joe Early
Squad 51, continue to monitor patient and transport immediately. - Nurse Dixie McCall
Shut up, Chet. - John Gage
I'm a rescue man.
I've trained to be a rescue man.
I like being a rescue man!

John Cage was a Hero!

/not a quitter
//nurse Dixie was hawt
///Lactate Ringer's for EVERYONE

[intheflow]

38. John Cage was a hero?

No, John Cage was fictional. This has got to be the dumbest post of the day.

[gaspee]

35. Are these perhaps

2 of the contractor EMS that provide 25% of the EMS services in NYC? I'd sure like to know.

It's shameful of them, that's for sure.

[NickB79]

40. Whether or not they had equipment with them is beside the point

Even an EMT without any of his or her equipment has had far more training in basic first aid, CPR, remaining calm under pressure, etc than the average coffee shop patron. They could have at the VERY least stuck around, done what they could, assessed the woman's condition as best they could, and reported what they observed to the responding EMT's that later arrived.

To leave while a pregnant woman was in obvious distress is incredibly callous at best, and possibly criminal at worst.

[The Straight Story]

42. They were obeying the employment laws, didn't want to break the law about breaks

Someone was gonna have to say it :)