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Investigation Finds Washington, D.C. Ambulance Crew Hid During Mass Shooting
ROBY CHAVEZ
WTTG
Reprinted with Permission
WASHINGTON - It was the worst mass shooting in DC history, but FOX 5 has learned not everyone rushed to the scene.
STATter911: Mass Casualty: Emergency radio traffic after 9 shot
Related
DC Fire Investigates "Hiding Ambulance" During Mass Shooting
Sources say an internal DC Fire and EMS investigation shows some first responders actually did all they could to avoid the call for help. DC Fire and EMS confirm the actions of one ambulance crew are under investigation.
It was a chaotic scene the night of March 30, 2010. Nine people were shot on South Capitol Street; eventually 4 would die. The drive by shooting would send DC Fire and Emergency crews into mass casualty mode.
Internal documents obtained exclusively by FOX 5 tracked crews on that night.
By 7:31 p.m., several DC Fire and EMS crews were scrambling to the scene.
However, FOX 5 has learned that one ambulance and possibly the closest one was actually hiding.
Documents show 15 minutes after the first call for help, at 7:47 p.m., Ambulance 32 was still roaming free on its way back to the Irving Street firehouse on what's called delayed response.
The ambulance never responded to the scene.
News of an ambulance avoiding the scene brings little comfort to the grieving mother of 16-year-old Brishell Jones, Nardyne Jefferies.
The teen was one of four who died that day.
"It's appalling. It’s very disturbing. It just hurts. Very disturbing news. It feels like another slap in the face. Your children are not worthy of proper medical treatment and leave them. Whoever gets to them gets to them," said Jefferies as she wiped away tears.
By 7:33 pm an alert went out calling for all available ambulances to respond to the multiple shooting.
The dispatch records read 'multiple patients', 'gunshot wounds', 'serious bleeding'.
The union which represents the civilian medics says the finding is alarming.
"We need to know exactly why that ambulance was not made available especially given the enormity of the scene. We had a mass casualty scene," Kenneth Lyons Pres., AFGE Local 3721
What happened to ambulance 32?
The fire department’s own "I" tracker program shows it was driving away from the area.
Sources tell FOX 5 an internal investigation shows the unit and its two medics did all they could to avoid the mass shooting.
"What if that was one of their children or loved one that needed help. How would you feel if you just ignore a call and children lying there,” said Jefferies.
So what went wrong? It’s not just the crews fault for avoiding the scene.
Sources say an internal investigation shows the dispatchers also missed the ambulance.
Instead, at 7:48, “I-Tracker” records show while Ambulance 30 is arriving at South Capitol Street, Ambulance 32 is still not responding.
Records show in the height of it all at 7:49 p.m. the crew asked to go get fuel and was given the okay.
Sources now tell FOX 5 that fuel records show the crew never did get fuel, instead they were allegedly eating.
According to sources, GPS tracking shows the ambulance was on Mellon Street at the home of one of the medics, just a mile and a half from the shooting scene.
DC Fire and EMS acknowledged the ambulance did not go to the scene.
In a statement, Spokesman Pete Peringer says, "The incident of the shooting and the availability of A32 have been reviewed and has been referred to a DC F & EMS Trial Board. The investigation is continuing."
Sources say there are built-in systems to catch a hiding ambulance. Three supervisors and the Chief in charge that night caught it.
The Watch Commander, Fire Liaison and Emergency Liaison Officer all allegedly missed the automatic computer sensor which should have notified them that Ambulance 32 was missing and was perhaps closer than any other unit.
So far no one has been disciplined.
"If it's determined that they were doing something other than that and used the delayed response to conduct personal business then I think we have a serious problem reminiscent of the Rosenbaum incident," said Lyons.
DC Fire says 40 First Responders did go to the scene, including 3 transport ambulances and four medic ambulances.
FOX 5 has learned the trial board has reviewed the status of ambulance 32 and a resolution is expected soon.
According to documents, Ambulance 32 left Howard University at 7:09pm and was listed as “delayed response status.”
A memo dated March 2006 obtained by FOX 5 shows "delayed response status" is a rule that allows ambulance crews to head back without interruption to the fire house and the area they cover. In this case, back to southeast.
The document clearly states if there is insufficient transport services available to handle emergency calls like a mass casualty situation, they must respond.
In fact, it also says they’re supposed to closely monitor a dispatch channel while returning.
WTTG
Reprinted with Permission
WASHINGTON - It was the worst mass shooting in DC history, but FOX 5 has learned not everyone rushed to the scene.
STATter911: Mass Casualty: Emergency radio traffic after 9 shot
Related
DC Fire Investigates "Hiding Ambulance" During Mass Shooting
Sources say an internal DC Fire and EMS investigation shows some first responders actually did all they could to avoid the call for help. DC Fire and EMS confirm the actions of one ambulance crew are under investigation.
It was a chaotic scene the night of March 30, 2010. Nine people were shot on South Capitol Street; eventually 4 would die. The drive by shooting would send DC Fire and Emergency crews into mass casualty mode.
Internal documents obtained exclusively by FOX 5 tracked crews on that night.
By 7:31 p.m., several DC Fire and EMS crews were scrambling to the scene.
However, FOX 5 has learned that one ambulance and possibly the closest one was actually hiding.
Documents show 15 minutes after the first call for help, at 7:47 p.m., Ambulance 32 was still roaming free on its way back to the Irving Street firehouse on what's called delayed response.
The ambulance never responded to the scene.
News of an ambulance avoiding the scene brings little comfort to the grieving mother of 16-year-old Brishell Jones, Nardyne Jefferies.
The teen was one of four who died that day.
"It's appalling. It’s very disturbing. It just hurts. Very disturbing news. It feels like another slap in the face. Your children are not worthy of proper medical treatment and leave them. Whoever gets to them gets to them," said Jefferies as she wiped away tears.
By 7:33 pm an alert went out calling for all available ambulances to respond to the multiple shooting.
The dispatch records read 'multiple patients', 'gunshot wounds', 'serious bleeding'.
The union which represents the civilian medics says the finding is alarming.
"We need to know exactly why that ambulance was not made available especially given the enormity of the scene. We had a mass casualty scene," Kenneth Lyons Pres., AFGE Local 3721
What happened to ambulance 32?
The fire department’s own "I" tracker program shows it was driving away from the area.
Sources tell FOX 5 an internal investigation shows the unit and its two medics did all they could to avoid the mass shooting.
"What if that was one of their children or loved one that needed help. How would you feel if you just ignore a call and children lying there,” said Jefferies.
So what went wrong? It’s not just the crews fault for avoiding the scene.
Sources say an internal investigation shows the dispatchers also missed the ambulance.
Instead, at 7:48, “I-Tracker” records show while Ambulance 30 is arriving at South Capitol Street, Ambulance 32 is still not responding.
Records show in the height of it all at 7:49 p.m. the crew asked to go get fuel and was given the okay.
Sources now tell FOX 5 that fuel records show the crew never did get fuel, instead they were allegedly eating.
According to sources, GPS tracking shows the ambulance was on Mellon Street at the home of one of the medics, just a mile and a half from the shooting scene.
DC Fire and EMS acknowledged the ambulance did not go to the scene.
In a statement, Spokesman Pete Peringer says, "The incident of the shooting and the availability of A32 have been reviewed and has been referred to a DC F & EMS Trial Board. The investigation is continuing."
Sources say there are built-in systems to catch a hiding ambulance. Three supervisors and the Chief in charge that night caught it.
The Watch Commander, Fire Liaison and Emergency Liaison Officer all allegedly missed the automatic computer sensor which should have notified them that Ambulance 32 was missing and was perhaps closer than any other unit.
So far no one has been disciplined.
"If it's determined that they were doing something other than that and used the delayed response to conduct personal business then I think we have a serious problem reminiscent of the Rosenbaum incident," said Lyons.
DC Fire says 40 First Responders did go to the scene, including 3 transport ambulances and four medic ambulances.
FOX 5 has learned the trial board has reviewed the status of ambulance 32 and a resolution is expected soon.
According to documents, Ambulance 32 left Howard University at 7:09pm and was listed as “delayed response status.”
A memo dated March 2006 obtained by FOX 5 shows "delayed response status" is a rule that allows ambulance crews to head back without interruption to the fire house and the area they cover. In this case, back to southeast.
The document clearly states if there is insufficient transport services available to handle emergency calls like a mass casualty situation, they must respond.
In fact, it also says they’re supposed to closely monitor a dispatch channel while returning.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Conrad M on
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I was about to say the same thing, unless a scene has been confirmed secure, you don't go diving in...you're no good if you're dead.
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Permalink Reply by capcityff on
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The issue wasn't staging. I doubt they were dodging the run though. I think that when they went on delayed response back to their first due they may have left the radio on a different channel that they were operating on.(On an average medical local here you go through at least three channels throughout the run.) They may have never heard the shooting come out.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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I think that when they went on delayed response back to their first due they may have left the radio on a different channel that they were operating on.(On an average medical local here you go through at least three channels throughout the run.) They may have never heard the shooting come out.
Sounds completely plausible to me as well, although it lacks the sensationalism of stating the crew was "hiding". I have seen several incidents where a rig was on a different radio channel and missed the original call. It is easy to forget to change the radio channel back after a call or if going in a different status and hearing something sent out on a different channel can be missed.
Weird how the article nor investigation doesn't even mention this possibilty, but so easy to claim the crew was "hiding". Almost seems more like a witch hunt than an investigation.
Records show in the height of it all at 7:49 p.m. the crew asked to go get fuel and was given the okay.
While I know the next line states the crew was eating vs getting fuel....the issue here is why were they even given permission to fuel after CALLING in? Why did the person granting permission not know about the shooting to perhaps say "hey, you do realize there was a shooting with several people down and there was an alert given out for all available ambulances?".
Ahhh, the great fact findings of sensationalistic, minimalistic, reporting. Yep the hell with looking into the radio possibility or the fact permission was granted for fuel in this "fact finding" before stating the crew was hiding.
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Permalink Reply by rescueortruck on
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I have run EMS calls near the DC area. Some times it can get a little "hairy" with that said most of the people that work DC Fire & EMS knew what they were getting into when they took the job. If you can't handle the job any more then get out and let some one else in that can.
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Permalink Reply by EngineLadder on
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In baltimore we fight with other medics to take shooting dont know why there are enuff to go around for every one
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Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on
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About the only thing that's going to save that crew is the possibility their radio was on another channe
If they were closest to the call why didn't the CAD/GPS show them as the closest and assign them the call? Technology at it's finest as the fertilizer and the aerator are getting aquainted? All systems I have delt with will assign the closest unit regardless of their status unless the controller does a manual over ride, especially if the system status level is low.
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Permalink Reply by George Fiala on
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? I assume PD was on scene , Was there A CODE 4 Given to all responding , Our agencies Policy is to wait This code , Safty for all is Priorty in my county
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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I am going to wait for the investigation before jumping to right or wrong.
I will throw this out though. If you work in a department that has vehicle tracker, like I do, and you understand the system (as I bet they do) then why would you drive away from the scene, knowing that the computer is showing your location unless something else was going on like the radio channel possibility.
Seems to me that hiding is a stretch. If they were heading back towards there response district and were granted permission to go for fuel, it all adds up to never hearing the call.
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I don't disagree, seems odd they would drive away from the incident, unless they never heard it. Medics are trauma junkies and know very few that would hide from multiple GSW's.
More to the story I bet...
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Unfortunately Ralph, such sensationalism today is the norm. Pretty bad that some FF from GB can see the missed questions asked here, yet the newspaper that is located in said city can't. Again why let facts get in the way of a good knee jerk, emotion filled story?
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What the hell is a code 4?
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I will throw this out though. If you work in a department that has vehicle tracker, like I do, and you understand the system (as I bet they do) then why would you drive away from the scene, knowing that the computer is showing your location unless something else was going on like the radio channel possibility.
Along the same lines there, then why at the height of the incident, when this unit asked permission for fuel was it given to them, instead of the person on the other end mentioning the incident just in case they didn't hear the call? But that question was never asked by the paper here, they mentioned the request for permission, but never followed up as to why permission was even given.
More to this story indeed....unfortunately the paper has already convicted the crew.
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