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FDNY Suspends Bagel Break EMTs
DEEPTI HAJELA
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Two emergency medical technicians accused of refusing to help a pregnant woman who collapsed in the coffee shop where they were taking a break were suspended Monday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg called their behaviour inexcusable.
The Fire Department of New York suspended Jason Green, a six-year veteran, and Melissa Jackson, a four-year veteran, without pay while the Dec. 9 incident is investigated, spokesman Steve Ritea said.
Witnesses, first speaking to The New York Post, said the medics told employees at the eatery in downtown Brooklyn to call for help and then left when they were asked to help Eutisha Revee Rennix, an employee who had collapsed.
An ambulance was called, and Rennix, 25, was taken to Long Island College Hospital, where she died a short time later. Her baby girl was too premature to survive. A message left for Rennix's mother Monday wasn't immediately returned.
Home telephone listings for Jackson and Green weren't unavailable. A call Monday evening to the EMT's union office wasn't immediately returned.
Ritea said that all FDNY members "take an oath to assist others whenever they're in need of emergency medical care. It's their sworn duty."
A union spokesman said Monday that EMTs generally consider their jobs to be a 24-hour kind of thing.
"Our people tend to spring into action whether they're on duty, off duty, whatever they're doing," said Robert Ungar, spokesman for the Uniformed EMTS and Paramedics, FDNY.
The city's EMTs have a "very strong bond with the people of New York City that they serve," he said. "They view themselves as always being on duty."
He said the union was waiting to see what the results of the Fire Department's investigation would be.
"If there was unprofessional conduct by these EMTs, the union does not condone any type of conduct which in any way can harm members of the public," he said.
On Monday, Bloomberg repeated comments he made over the weekend criticizing the EMTs, saying refusing to help goes against human decency.
"There's no excuse whatsoever," he said.
Related JEMS.com
FDNY EMTs Allegedly Ignore Pregnant Woman in Distress
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Two emergency medical technicians accused of refusing to help a pregnant woman who collapsed in the coffee shop where they were taking a break were suspended Monday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg called their behaviour inexcusable.
The Fire Department of New York suspended Jason Green, a six-year veteran, and Melissa Jackson, a four-year veteran, without pay while the Dec. 9 incident is investigated, spokesman Steve Ritea said.
Witnesses, first speaking to The New York Post, said the medics told employees at the eatery in downtown Brooklyn to call for help and then left when they were asked to help Eutisha Revee Rennix, an employee who had collapsed.
An ambulance was called, and Rennix, 25, was taken to Long Island College Hospital, where she died a short time later. Her baby girl was too premature to survive. A message left for Rennix's mother Monday wasn't immediately returned.
Home telephone listings for Jackson and Green weren't unavailable. A call Monday evening to the EMT's union office wasn't immediately returned.
Ritea said that all FDNY members "take an oath to assist others whenever they're in need of emergency medical care. It's their sworn duty."
A union spokesman said Monday that EMTs generally consider their jobs to be a 24-hour kind of thing.
"Our people tend to spring into action whether they're on duty, off duty, whatever they're doing," said Robert Ungar, spokesman for the Uniformed EMTS and Paramedics, FDNY.
The city's EMTs have a "very strong bond with the people of New York City that they serve," he said. "They view themselves as always being on duty."
He said the union was waiting to see what the results of the Fire Department's investigation would be.
"If there was unprofessional conduct by these EMTs, the union does not condone any type of conduct which in any way can harm members of the public," he said.
On Monday, Bloomberg repeated comments he made over the weekend criticizing the EMTs, saying refusing to help goes against human decency.
"There's no excuse whatsoever," he said.
Related JEMS.com
FDNY EMTs Allegedly Ignore Pregnant Woman in Distress
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by RJ SEIPLE on
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This is just unimaginable. I just can't beleive two EMT's would do something like this, or I guess it is not do.
As an FF/EMT, I feel you have a duty, a responsibility to act, weather you are on duty or not.
And, personally, I couldn't live with myself if I did not act and someone died as a result, not to say that she would have made it even if they had tried to help, but she would have at least had a fighting chance.
I have a hard time with losing someone when I have done everything possible, but to not even try is just crazy. I couldn't live with myself.
I hate to see anyone lose their job, or their certs., but in this case.
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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It sure doesn't look good - never does - but I'd like to hear the EMT's version of the events.
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Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on
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OUCH! I too would like to hear the other side of this story!
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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on
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It is easy to jump on the high morality bandwagon and admonish the emt's. Heck the thought went through my mind "what in the world were they doing? they have no right to be a medic" but then I think about how some of the calls we have get reported in the media and shake my head.
So far everything is one sided. The truth of what happened lies somewhere between what has been reported and the medics side of the story. Without more information we can not really know what happened.
The only thing we can do is us this as a teachable moment to reflect and consider what we would do in this situation. Hopefully all of us would agree that we would not hesitate to jump in and help.
John
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Permalink Reply by 2hot2handle on
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Personally, I think the two EMT's if the evidence is real, should be fired and stripped of their certification/license! They are gonna have major lawsuit problems from the womens family and the City of New York. There are always 2 sides of the story, there are probably other circumstances to this incident. But may God be with the woman and her family at this time....
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and God Bless> Stay safe!!!
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Permalink Reply by Greg Gilman on
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i hope that both of the EMT's are fired and stripped of all there certifications and then the victims family sues the shit out of them
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Permalink Reply by Eng Co 4 on
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Let's play the "word association game" here!
Ok...here goes...........
Abandonment
Negligent homicide
Dereliction of Duty
Breach of Public Trust
Malfeasance
Malpractice
Failure
Good Samaritan
Sworn Uniformed Employee
How about some other words???
This is SOOOOOOoooooo WRONG!
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Permalink Reply by Loyd Dittfurth on
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you forgot dishonorable to us all
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