Should these EMT's be fired?

[Suprtek]

there are clearly some facts missing here. until the media stops spinning this against the EMTs, i will hold off on judgment.

Agreed. The situation certainly needs to be investigated. If they are believed to be at fault, give them their due process and sentence accordingly if found guilty.

The employer, however, certainly has the right to terminate them for their own reasons even if they are found to not be "legally" at fault.

 

[Benny]

On duty or off the police have no legal responsibility to render aid and assistance to an individual citizen. The courts have ruled consistently on this. If an individual officer chooses to do so then good on them! The same laws could well apply to EMT's, come to think about it, if they're "public employees". Private company EMT's may not have the same protections.

Seriously? What do they get paid for then?

 

[antsi]

I am thinking through the conditions that could cause an otherwise apparently healthy pregnant woman to suddenly collapse, deliver a preterm baby, and die. Abruption, spontaneous preterm birth with amniotic fluid embolus.. there aren't that many. And none of them would have been the least bit affected by anything EMTs could do on the scene.

That doesn't let them off the hook, though. Cases where there is an unavoidable bad outcome are when it is most important just to be a decent person and show some compassion and humanity. Sometimes we are reduced to nothing more effective than holding someone's hand when they dying, and this can be one of the most important parts of the job.

 

[ashylarry]

Seriously? What do they get paid for then?

They arnt getting paid unless they are in uniform

 

[Benny]

They arnt getting paid unless they are in uniform

On duty or off the police have no legal responsibility to render aid and assistance to an individual citizen.

...

 

[Benny]

Bump...I'd like a bit of insight on the above post(s).

 

[RachelMarie]

Wow. I too wonder about missing information in the case. But if it is actually as it is stated...Fire them. Plain and simple. IMO

 

[mrjarrell]

Seriously? What do they get paid for then?

I've asked myself that same question, many times. The answers I keep coming up with, tho would get this thread closed. Just Google the following phrase and you'll find more info than you'd like.
"police are not obligated to protect you"

Now, back to our regularly scheduled topic.

 

[Roadie]

Yes, indeed:

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2005 - The Supreme Court ruled on Monday, overturning a ruling by a federal appeals court in Colorado... police do not have a constitutional duty to protect a person from harm...The appeals court had permitted a lawsuit to proceed against a Colorado town, Castle Rock, for the failure of the police to respond to a woman's pleas for help after her estranged husband violated a protective order by kidnapping their three young daughters, whom he eventually killed....

BUT, citizens are supposed to not own guns to protect themselves either?? Oy.

 

[dschantz]

I think these two should be tied up and beat with a brick stick. I don't know about anyone else, but I feel an obligation to help people when they need it, and I don't wear a uniform.....anymore. The last one I wore said U.S. Marine Corps on it. Yeah....helped a few then too. I don't care if you have on a uniform or not.

 

[mrjarrell]

Well, the EMT's are telling their side of the story. Too bad it just doesn't wash for me. It sounds like a rather lame attempt at covering their butts.

From Fox

NEW YORK — Two emergency medical technicians accused of refusing to help a dying pregnant woman say they were never asked to examine her nor told the extent of her condition.
Lawyer Douglas Rosenthal says his clients were only asked to summon an ambulance on Dec. 9 when they were taking a break in a Brooklyn eatery. He says Jason Green and Melisa Jackson never saw Eutisha Rennix, who was in the back of the Au Bon Pain, and that other employees didn't seem overly concerned about her condition.
Rosenthal says an employee only told Jackson that Rennix was exhibiting asthmatic symptoms and had some abdominal pain.
Witnesses have said the EMTs told workers to call 911, then left when they were asked to help. Rennix later died.

What was so important that they couldn't take a few minutes to assess the situation and call for another ambulance?

 

[tryingtosurvive03]

It is hard to believe but many things are these days.