He's literally recorded asking for an ambulance on the 911 call, yet the investigation is unable to determine if he ever asked for an ambulance? World's worst investigator!
Some people decline transport after evaluation but they sign a refusal that states one of the results could be death. He didn't do that so yes, it's a " no brainer".
Exactly! Somebody did The Right thing! If he would have tried to file a complaint without hospital's support there would be even less chances of things changing. Bless that hospital worker! Never wanting this to happen to anybody else.
@@donalddodson7365 I filed a report against a nursing home when working as an x-ray/CT tech because they had allowed a non-communicative patient of theirs to suffer with a broken hip for months and I found it on a pelvic CT. They just so happened to be partnered with my hospital, so guess who got harassed by the nursing chief and was fired on "suspicion of bringing a firearm to work"
Personally, this man should sue, big time. It won't bring his wife back, but would help others in this predicament in the future. May his wife rest in peace. 🙏
Something similar just happened with a 911 operator who refused to send an ambulance after the loved one requested one. The lady died and the 911 operator was charged with manslaughter.
@@JerubbaalgodSlayer Even worse is that it's not even their resources to save! My heart breaks for this man and the other woman lost to just pure laziness and incompetence!
(AZ Paramedic, 10 yrs.) Mesa Fire has almost fully changed to that vernacular recently. I think their intention is to convey a sense of service, but it really comes off as more insulting than anything, personally. I would never call one of my pts. a “customer.”
State firefighter Union President: “If we were to send them all to the emergency room, then our hospitals would be completely overrun.” Don’t you think that decision is up to the Emergency Room triage, not a fireman?
As a Paramedic I am astounded that supposedly trained EMT’s/Paramedics wouldn’t do a full set of vitals including a 12 lead ECG & transport a patient to hospital. Even though Covid is creating huge problems in hospitals, it’s a potentially deadly condition & heart attacks are one of the potential outcomes. Plus people rarely have one single condition in isolation. You can’t rule out a heart attack in someone with chest pain even with a normal 12 lead. You need to do 2 x blood tests at least 6 hrs apart to rule out a troponin leak. I’d be interested to read the PFD report on this to find out why they refused an ambulance. And did they refuse one all together? Or did they say it would take time to get there, which unfortunately, is too often the case these days with hospital ramping. Not everyone that calls an ambulance needs to go to hospital, like the guy who called because an ingrown hair that had turned into a cyst had burst while he was walking. Or the guy who got scratched by a housecat & barely had a mark on him. Or the guy who was locked outside his house at 3am & didn’t know how to get in. Or the guy who was hungover & just “couldn’t handle feeling hungover” (Yes. These are all real ambulance calls!). There are thousands of people who call an ambulance every day who don’t need to go to hospital. Many of them don’t even need an ambulance, just some basic first aid. But people with chest pain are not in that number.
Either way, a call for ambulance is the service and duty to act needed to be provided... if the patient thinks his cyst on his toe is worth the ambulance bill and doesn't think there is a better way to be transported ... they get the ambulance... it may tie up the resource, but it's their right.
Where's the forest fires in the CITY of Phoenix? It's the desert lol. Sounds like MORE funding for body cams for actual oversight would be worth considering.
THIS HAPPENED TO MY DAD! In Glendale. An ambulance was called to take my dad to hospital for COVID, super low oxygen. They didn’t. Mom drove him, and if they’d gotten him there sooner, he might have lived.
The exact same thing happened to my mom. We are in the process of getting the reports from the fire department. We filed a complaint, and it was investigated that they lied. Have you filed a complaint yet? It’s very important that you do that as soon as possible. I can give you the info if you are interested. Thankfully my mom survived. No thanks to the fire department.
I’m an EMT and it blows my mind that they didn’t even do an EKG. we do EKGs on anyone with chest pain, breathing problems, dizziness, syncope, anything that could possibly be connected to a heart problem. it doesn’t even matter if the patient is young and seemingly healthy otherwise, we’re sticking those leads on. even if it’s not a heart attack, it could be a dysthymia that requires emergency care. we also never deny transport to any patient. even if their condition doesn’t seem all that serious, we don’t have x-ray vision so we can’t say definitively that it isn’t. this is a classic example of gross negligence.
They did an EKG on me after I got to the hospital after I laid on my office floor passed out for 30 minutes. That's right, it took the ambulance THIRTY minutes to arrive, and my office is in our downtown area - same building that the mayor works in!
This is terrible! First responders who don't respond...all should be fired & he should sue. This lady might have lived had she been rushed by ambulance to the E.R. This is disgusting. NO excuse!
He needs to NOT settle and insist on public jury trial with press allowed to film. If he settles, this is the last we will hear of it. There will be a non-disclosure clause to shut him up.
@@zumaanandrade3961 Smart people understand that only stupid people believe such things to be true. US is best at having the largest socialized military system in the world. Best at police homicides yearly, best at lowest educational standards. More hospital deaths due to negligence than any other place in the world, best at having the most expensive socialized law enforcement. Etc. etc.etc.
To the firefighters in this video: If someone is actually dying and you refuse to help, you should shut your firestation down and you should all be fired.
@@scottprather5645 then other more willing and professional fire department will be despatch! Its clear cut the Phoenix fire department is not doing their job!
Imagine how helpless he felt in those moments racing to the hospital. I’m so sorry for this family’s loss and I hope the people responsible for refusing the ambulance take accountability for their actions.
"Never. That never happens." How disconnected this guy is from accountability shows you he should not be in the position he's in. Any respectable leader of any sort would absolutely be open to feedback for improvement and this guy is just in narcisstic denial. Super cute.
That's exactly the kind of men that get Hired for those Positions. The quality they look for. Can they Lie through their Teeth and act like their S#!t doesn't stink without a Wink? Promoted!!!
This is the healthcare industry, I was retaliated for reporting patient abuse. The workers are underpaid and overworked, they end up burnt out and jaded. You see people come in good workers and leave monsters.
Yea he’s tripping. He cannot account for ALL EMS personnel. That’s like me saying a patient with radiographic evidence of gas gangrene is always immediately taken to the OR Unfortunately this not the case despite immediate surgical intervention being the next step per protocol all across the board
They dropped the ball big time. I'm so sorry this man lost his wife. This breaks my heart. My condolences to you and your family. This shouldn't have happened
Ive been refused an ambulance here too. They said I was fine but weren't qualified to make that determination. It was because they didnt want to waste money because I had medicaid .
When will people figure out that anyone receiving govt. assistance is targeted for death? If you receive Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, SSI, govt. pensions, etc, you are targeted to be eliminated. Think about it. Think about all of the people that have died from cv19. 99% of them received some kind of govt. aid.
We were refused an ambulance in illinois at the start of Covid for dying grandmother in nursing home. Ambulance showed up, said she was dying and nothing they can do, that we were wasting their resources, and they didn't want to risk bringing her to the state over to hospital, and said her body wouldn't be allowed back into Illinois to be buried. Literally just fcking horrid watching her die through a window, couldnt even be inside to hold her hand as she passed, just horrid knowing no one gave a damn and she died alone and possibly could have had more time if they just took her to the dam hospital like we asked in the first place. Literally spend over 45 minutes arguing with them, when they could have just fcking taken her to the hospital.
I had a heart attack in November 2020. They hooked me up to an EKG and right away they told me I was having a heart attack and within just a few minutes I was on my way. 3 minutes after arriving at the hospital. For 4 minutes they shocked me and did CPR. I was damn lucky. I had great paramedics and a top notch medical team to save my life. This story is just pure laziness. These paramedics need to be in jail.
I was shamed by a paramedic once. Said he wasn't a taxi! I was sitting in extreme pain on a toilet in grocery store! Got in the ambulance and my blood pressure was 70/40. I had a bowel obstruction. Luckily my husband stood strong.
As a former Fire Chief and a Paramedic, I am appalled at the lack of intelligent, comprehensive care the Phoenix fire department failed to provide in this case. Sue them!
I called an ambulance just over a year ago because I believed that I was having a stroke. On the way to the hospital the paramedic called the hospital and told them to cancel emergency response because it was just vertigo. I was having a stroke and it pissed me off that a paramedic gave a diagnosis. Especially when it was wrong. His guess could have killed me.
@@654Crossman are you sure you possess all of the facts before you jump to conclusions? What if this guy’s version isn’t the truth? What then? Would you apologize?
I worked in ems for 14 years and was a paramedic in the valley for 10 years. This type of medical care is completely unacceptable and is sadly one of the many reasons I decided to leave ems. The fact that these firefighters failed to obtain a signed refusal for transport shows a complete lack of empathy and work ethic for these so-called medical professionals. Standing orders for pfd clearly state that anyone who is experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain receive at minimum a full set of vitals, an ecg, and transport to a higher level of medical care. It's truly amazing that paramedics and emt's who fail to provide medical treatment for patients like this can sleep at night. Thank you ABC15 for investigating this story.
I was an EMT a few years back. Went with a rescue company to a fire. We found a guy lying next to a Kerosene heater in the winter. I asked the LT. to help me get patient into freah air. He said wait for the Chief of the FD to make that decision. I immediatley removed the heater and sourse of the problem myself. He wanted to suspend me. I said no problem . Meanwhile the state with get my complaint. about him not helping in a dire situation. suspension was quelled as fast as it was admitted. . I also was fed up with people who were in it for the sirens and lights. I went on to be paid and will never be a VOLUNTEER FF/ EMT again. It is not the job. but the leadership . I requested the department to right a Alcohol policy and have people sign it. We had one guy drunk and fell on one MVA victim. Years later after I left there. They decided it was a good rule tohave each FF sign teh SOP. Too bad about this woman and his loss. I'm thinking these guys could also be sued for Malpractice if they are Guilty of no rendering care. Drs and Certified counselors in my state can be sued for that if they are found to do that. For D&A and certified therapist, it is called Psychological malpractrice.
@@SmittyAZ THEN TRANSPORT STAT! CLEARLY SHOULD BE NOTED PATIENT INCAPACITATED AND UNABLE TO SIGN THEIR REFUSAL TO BE TRANSPORTED "AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE" (aka ANA)..
They shouldn't be legally allowed to tell anyone they don't need an ambulance! My son called 911 for me because I was feverish and out of my head! (I couldn't remember how to pull up my pants!) By the time the paramedics arrived I was no longer able to speak for myself and my autistic son didn't know how to explain what was wrong. They told him I didn't need an ambulance and they left me. Fortunately the next morning I got a friend to get me to the hospital. I had blood poisoning and ended up spending two weeks in the hospital after having emergency surgery! This wasn't the only time I had an incident with the paramedics thinking they knew more than they actually did, this was just one of the times they failed horribly! Glad I survived to tell my story! Not everyone does!
I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am to hear about a nightmare like THIS! 😔 My heart goes out to You and your Family and I pray that you all get Justice for your Wife! 🙏🏽🥺🙏🏾
When someone says “that never happens” you know where their BS is stuck. This spokesperson and those who are under disciplinary notice are atrocious, not representative of all those who serve daily, putting their lives at risk.
Unfortunately, they are. It's like my old chief used to say: it takes 5 good things to offset one bad thing, in the public eye. We are supposed to be heroes and true professionals. Not some apathetic assholes, who treat our jobs like a 9-5 DMV job. It is not wrong for people to wonder if PFD is an example, of what other fire houses are turning into. It's sad, is what it is.
So disgusting, we count on 911 for all emergencies, this is so heartbreaking, my prayers go out to the widower and his family, I hope he gets justice 🙏❤️🇺🇲
@@christinemott8799 did I say it was an accident or on purpose....no I never said that maybe you should read what I said fully before commenting on what I commented, troll.
@@yeoldeseawitch sorry that's hard for me to do since my life was saved back in 2014 when I had swine flu and pneumonia and my ex called 911, I was in the hospital for almost a month, so yes I do count on 911 and thank God I live in Washington state, here you are taken care of.
@@mygreatescape9617 god, you are a special kind of idiotic. fine, keep being a wuss in life that depends on a bunch of numbskulls in a bright red truck to save themselves, I sure as hell will never want nor need their "help" ever!
In houston, I called 911 for help with my mother. She had fallen, and was in a great deal of pain. The EMTs whom responded were jerks. They barely spoke to me at all, and ignored me, when I asked them to take her out the front door, so our dogs would not get out. They went out the back gate, letting the dogs out themselves. Then they didn’t want to tell me where they were taking her. I was so frightened by their behavior, I took photos of the ambulance and its license plates. At the hospital, I was refused access to my mother u til after the doctors were done. I told them repeatedly that she has dementia, and I needed to be involved, but they kept me away. I never did get to speak with the doctors, and they merely wrapped her fractured leg-which she kept reinjuring, because she would forget it was broken. Both the EMTs and the hospital staff were GARBAGE.
Heartbreaking! She was only 53, with 13 grandchildren, (wow) a loving wonderful woman, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and person, no doubt. Her parent/s were probably still alive, too. She may have passed, regardless, but she also very well may have survived had the EMT/FD done their jobs, by the book! Her husband and family will never know, but instead are left to forever wonder “what if,” only. 💔
I know the feeling. I was in a major car accident where I was severely burned with a broken neck among many other life threatening injuries. The ambulance took me to the local small town hospital where they left me in the ambulance for over an hour waiting for a helicopter to come transport me to the nearest Trauma Center 40 miles away due to my severe injuries. The helicopter never came. They lied when they said they called for the helicopter. They finally transported me in the same ambulance 3 1/2 hours after the accident. Luckily there were Trauma surgeons and burn specialist to save me. After 2 months in the ICU and a dozen surgeries I'm still here, barely. 🥃😎👌
My gosh, that’s horrendous! What do you suppose may be the reason they may have lied about calling for the helicopter And how did you come to concluding that this lie was fact
@@wedemboyz LIFE AIR has no record of the call. They lied for their own personal twisted small town sick reasons that date back to 1985. . #1 To the guilty parties, I am politically incorrect. #2 They wanted me to die in the ambulance, sitting beside the helicopter pad, waiting for the chopper that never was called. It's all documented PROVEN FACTS. 30 DAYS NEXT CASE ⚖️😎👌
I was attacked by a wild dog. I suffered bites on the back of my right leg and a fractured wrist. I was in a state of shock. I didn't realize it at the time but I was also bleeding. Two women in separate cars each stopped to assist me. One woman spotted the dog and took pics on her phone. I was laying in the street so the other lady pulled in front of me so I wouldn't be hit by a car. The lady who took the pictures noticed I was bleeding. The other woman helped me sit up, I was still unable to really move and I was shaken. The women began calling 911, only to get answering machines. It took five minutes or so to finally reach 911. Finally a fire truck came. A bunch of firemen more than 4, possibly 5 or 6, asked what happened. By this time I was wiping some blood and saw a nasty wound, one of several punctures, and a tear with hanging skin. My wrist was swelling. One fellow wrapped gauze around my leg, no pad, no antiseptic. Another commented that I had a nice piece of meat hanging from my leg. I asked to go to the hospital but they said they couldn't take me, they had "no room in the truck". They didn't take any contact information from the two women who were kind enough to wait so they could give statements. One fireman said he would stay there while his team drove me a block away to my apartment. They did take my groceries up the stairs and leave them for me. I was still in shock which really hit after they left. I rallied to get home but I fell apart once I was in my apartment. I washed my wounds, put on antiseptic and gauze pads and bandaged them as best as I could. Wrapped my wrist. Took some Motrin and was able to get to bed and lay down. I cried for an hour before I fell asleep. The next day, I was able to clean my wounds again and drank some water...and went back to bed. I am a senior and live alone. I have no family to call and I realized there was really no one I could reach out to. This happened on a Thursday late afternoon, early evening as I got off the bus and was walking to my apartment with a few groceries. By Sunday, I still could not use my hand but I was able to manage some coffee and cereal. I took a shower, really difficult to comb my long hair which I wear in a braid but I did the best I could. Monday morning, I took myself on two buses to St. Joseph's Hospital ER and found out I had a fractured wrist and received some shots for tetanus and antibiotics. This is what happened to me when a call to 911 brought Phoenix firemen to my rescue. This is 1 of the 2 nightmare encounters I had with these people. I was lucky I pulled through but it wasn't because of anything but God's grace that the animal was not rabid. I understand how this man feels and I hope his lawsuit and the story getting out brings more information out and this awful level of incompetence and lack of caring is not allowed to continue.🤦♀️👵😰
I pray you are healed. Don't blame the dog please. Someone hurt this dog badly. And for the humans that did not help you, Throw em in the Trash. Thats where they belong!🥺
Most states don't allow emergency workers to use antibiotic ointment. Also, in some states EMS is not required. It can be a thankless job without much pay. They were heroes during Covid, villains when they chose not to get vaccinated. Many of them got Covid from their patients and had immunity. Paramedics see death in horrible situations that no one should have to see. They also get hysterical people who call for a sliver, or people who just want them to clean up the mess they have made soiling themselves because they won't go to a home, or have a day nurse come in. Sure, there are some bad medics, just like every occupation has some who don't measure up, but most care for people. That's why they do what they do.
Don’t depend too much on anyone to help anymore, even your shadow leaves you in the darkest moments. This is heartbreaking and absolutely preventable!!
@@kayecurren3342 oh give me a break evangelical. A fuckin cancer patient pastors wife died the other day because she and everyone in her congregation tried to pray the cancer away. Yalls beliefs are dangerous to peoples health.
But the fact that the fire department referred to people who need them as CUSTOMERS?? Like they really let it slip that it's all just a business and they don't care at the end of the day
This is beyond tragic and somebody needs to pay for this incompetence and negligence. The husband lost his wife you cannot repay that but maybe the lawsuit will force our leaders to make sure this doesn't happen again. Rip to the wife she didn't deserve this. Condolences to the husband and family.
Naw it will happen again because the taxpayers pay for the mistakes. My husband as a PharmD had to carry his own insurance in case he made a mistake. Until policeman and other service people start to carry their own insurance will things change. If you make too many mistakes as a PharmD...tour premiums skyrocket and your forced out of work in that field.
Vynida Lopes please is not wanted needed or necessary it’s very very annoying like Trump remember that and never ever say please again UNDERSTAND????????!!!!!!!!!
From what it sounds like in these comments, this is a routine pattern with PFD. My husband is an EMT-I in Georgia and he is horrified this kind of thing is happening there. This needs to be thoroughly investigated. How many more people have to die because of their nonfeasance??
A few years ago I fell down my carpeted stairs late at night, had my son help me back upstairs and tried to go to sleep. By morning I couldn’t stand the pain anymore and my friend called 911. They did reluctantly transport me to the ER, but they told me I likely only had a sprained ankle, and implied that I didn’t need 911 services. Nothing was wrapped or splinted. Turned out I had a broken leg, shattered hand, broken wrist, broken arm and cracked ribs. I spent a month in a physical rehab hospital. I guess that because I waited hours before calling for help, the paramedics didn’t think I was really hurt. I will not trust paramedics again.
I guess I'm blessed. I fell down the steps like that, but I knew better than to move. I had no broken bones or serious injuries.i guess I lucked out. I took EMT training. We took a patient that fell down the steps. He had a fractured skull. He was bleeding from his ear, a serious symptom. He went into cardiac arrest at the hospital. Edit: I added patient's symptoms. Bleeding from the ear should always be taken seriously after a fall or accident.
Why did you go back up your stairs to go to sleep in the first place? Why would you not go right away to get checked out? This is something that has always made me shake my head.
This story is sad, I pray for this man and his family that he is strengthen daily. My father had covid last year in Arizona and the paramedics was called twice to check out my father well being, the paramedics told my father his oxygen levels were low but he didn’t need to go to the hospital. The following day the paramedics were called again due to him struggling to breathe and my dad was told again that his oxygen levels were low the paramedics didn’t take him to the hospital so my family in Arizona decided to find a ride and take my father and when he reached the hospital the doctors rushed him to the ICU and told my family It was good my father was brought in because he would have died that night if he wasn’t brought in by family. Due to his oxygen being extremely low, This has been on my heart so heavy this past year. Unfortunately my dad did die at the hospital… I feel the paramedics should have taken his situation more seriously and maybe he would have still been here to see his first Grandson grow up..
It’s sickening when I hear that diesel guzzling firetrucks are used as an excuse for “training purposes” ????!!! two firetrucks, one with a TRAILER hooked to it and an EMS van with plenty of room for a person who hardly needed help onto a gurney.. this was last week. I was livid!! They have to throw taxpayer dollars Somewhere. It’s absolutely Ridiculous when we have gas prices like this. The two trucks left and 10 mins. later, the EMS LEFT… We DO NOT NEED firetrucks for this!!!
The fact that these are the people who are getting their asses covered and saved after being part of someone’s death infuriated me. I’ve been working in the medical field and I recently found myself working in a breast center where the water they served, the patients and employees, had mold in it and I was scolded for telling the technicians they had to to get the rest of their patients so I could wash the water jug before I left. I had to completely take everything apart to be able to wash the mold and nasty crystallized residue all over the jug. The following day the supervisor said that I couldn’t come into a new job and try to change everything. I have never ever been treated poorly for wanting to help the company improve for their own good and the patients health.
You tried to save lives. Mold can make healthy people sick, let alone immune compromised people sick. Thank you for stepping up to take care of the patients.
@@erinnorwood6124 Exactly! There are many people who have unknown underlying conditions and we see all types of patients. I was infuriated when they tried to play it off as something that I shouldn’t worry about.
I live in Virginia. I was sick last November and my daughter-in-law called EMTs ( I live alone) and I had called her instead of the 911. . I had not one but two rescue squads show up I live in a small town and they came in assessed me and I was starting to feel better when they got here but they said due to me being so young LOL they were so sweet because I am 67 that I should be going just to be checked out. It turns out that I had a stomach bug but it did make my blood pressure rise. Even though I said I didn’t really wanna go and take up their time And they told me that is what they were there for to take care of me. In my opinion this is the way all EMTs should act and I am thankful to have these guys and ladies in my county that care about the people they take care of
I live in Florida that happened to my mom. Her blood pressure was really high she felt like she was going to pass out. I called paramedics. They tried to talk us out of taking mom to hospital. They wanted me to take her. They said they had a long day and were tired, and that it would be ok if I took her. I made them take my mom to hospital.
This is so heartbreaking. I count my blessings that when my elderly parents needed help (at different times of course,) here in Connecticut, as soon as the EMTs arrived (they're part of our Fire Dept.)!they immediately worked on my parents before taking them to the hospital. I can't thank them enough and also the police officers who also show up when 911 is called. They all handled my parents carefully and with the concern I believe they would have shown to their own family.
What happened was completely unacceptable. I live in a small town county with a county provided ambulance service. I’ve been friends with most of the EMTs and paramedics for years. They’re perhaps the most professional people I know. When my stepdad had a stroke and we called for an ambulance, MFRs a nearby small town were first on scene and the ALS Unit was there a couple minutes later. They took him to the hospital and saved his life. No one should ever be denied an ambulance, specifically when it’s a heart attack and an EKG machine says it is. I hope this man receives justice for what happened to his wife.
"Never. That never happens"...except this time. Public figures don't realize how much we'd respect them if they'd just OWN things. Here's how you own it: "I want the public to know that I'm appalled by what happened and I immediately asked myself, 'Where did I make mistakes? What was my role in this? And where did each person involved make the wrong decisions?' I will conduct a complete audit to see how often this has occurred and what changes must be made immediately. We will implement new policies and train our paramedics/EMTs on how to properly conduct patient assessments. And I commit to you to do everything in my power to see that this never happens again." I could respect that. But the "this never happens" response is both arrogant and nauseating.
My grandfather died as well after they refused to see him @ ER during covid-19 he called 911- then passed away that weekend they turned him away. I’m so sorry for your pain and suffering with ur wife! What a beautiful 😍 lady💐 blessing for healing ❤️🩹 to all of you 💐
My Uncle couldn't walk and was weak. He called an ambulance and was taken to the Regional One Health Hospital; the trauma center in Memphis TN. The nurse said nothing was wrong and had him send back home by ambulance. He still couldn't walk and the paramedic supervisor and her assistant arrived. The had the paramedics to take him BACK to the hospital and demanded that they take him. The Physician in Charge didn't know about the situation and he was accepted and later found out that he had COVID-19. My Uncle later found out that a family friend had caught COVID-19 while working in a hospital and wouldn't wear a mask.
I had my first heart attack back in Sept 2021 and another in March of this year. There is no way to describe the pain, misery and suffering you feel from this type of event. I have the utmost empathy for anyone force to go through this event and even worse when they don't get the timely assistance needed. I suffered needlessly by not going to the hospital the first time and again the second time, when I stalled before finally giving into the pain. I'm just glad my sister an RN came and took me straight to the ER. Within 15 minutes of my arrival, I was in the cath lab being given two new stents. One artery was 100% blocked, the other 70% blocked, time is crucial here. I was told I had what is known as a widow maker.
WOW! Those "heroes" who can do no wrong are doing triage in the field? I've never heard of a any Fire Department allowing paramedics to decide who should or should not go to the hospital? They are not field doctors. Terrible story.
I have heard of EMTs diagnosing someone who called 911 in the field, but if you ask for an ambulance, you should get an ambulance. Strange and sad how this all went down
They aren't supposed to. They can diagnose SUSPECTED conditions in order to make judgments on which treatment protocol to use during transport, but it is not within their scope of practice to make a diagnosis and then refuse to transport based on that diagnosis, much less without even taking vitals or doing a 12-lead on a patient with shortness of breath!
@@tarabooartarmy3654 a 12 lead EKG that is normal does not rule out cardiac issues, thus doing that on someone who is not going in the ambulance is a complete waste of time!
Paramedics saved my life in March of 2010. I’m so grateful from them, but this shocks me to the core. I can’t believe they didn’t take this woman to the ER. I bet the EMT and Parametric where scared because this woman was suffering from COVID and ignored that she was having cardiac issues. So sad and shouldn’t of happened.
@@chazman4461 oh I don’t know, maybe because masks do work, vaccine doesn’t really work, many break out cases. Maybe because 100 of thousands of people in the US have died from COVID. Having a COVID patient in a small area like an ambulance could be kind of scary. They failed to treat the woman properly she died and that are out fault.
The people responsible for her death needs to lose their job! I hope the husband wins for the sweet memory of his wife and others don’t suffer like she suffered…The EMT’s could have saved her life….this is so sad 😞
I live in Charlotte NC and was suffering from two pulmonary embolisms and could not breathe. I did not know what was causing me to gasp for breath but it was getting worse by the minute. My wife called an ambulance, and one was there in under five minutes, and I was stabilized in the ambulance and taken to the hospital. This is the second time here I had to be rushed to the hospital here - both times everything was done exactly as I would hope would be the case for anyone in need of it. The fire chief said that if they used an ambulance every time someone asked to go to the hospital the ER would be overwhelmed. I would hope that the Phoenix fire and rescue services have trained personnel who could make the determination on if that was the case and act on it immediately. Seems that just saying "We promise to do better in the future," is the go-to response. Sounds like my father saying he would quit smoking - never happened. Watch these people closely - your life depends on it.
To Francesca’s widower and her family I’m so sorry for your loss. As a member on a fire board myself this is totally unacceptable behavior on the firefighters/emts that were on scene. Not only should they lose their jobs but should also be charged with negligent Homocide. If they had done their jobs quickly and effectively and brought that ambulance like he asked she may still be alive today.
The fire department on baseline and I think 32nd Street they yelled at me and asked me to provide a insurance card before I told them there is a camera in my living room and I'm reporting them they immediately looked like they saw a ghost and immediately helped me
That's disgusting behavior from them. That's a good idea, though, even if there isn't a camera. That could save lives, using that statement right there.
It isn’t the fire department’s responsibility or place to determine if a hospital is overwhelmed with non-emergency patients. They on earth would that firefighter even bring that up?? That department is a danger to the community
@@ursulasmith6402 how would u know… do you work in health care and I’m talking about a busy ER? I’m an EMT and I know for a fact, ER and medics are overwhelmed, it doesn’t excuse laziness. But don’t say people don’t want to do their job when u have people who call an ambulance for toe pain. There are to many people abusing the 911 system.
Never take an emt at their “opinion”They told my sister she didn’t need to go to the hospital when she had Covid. She had pneumonia and was in the hospital for a few weeks. That isn’t the first time she was told she didn’t need transportation to the hospital where she was indeed hospitalized after the fact for DKA and they will argue with you. She always tells them I don’t care you are not a doctor and you are wrong.
If the word "customer" is applied when dealing with emergency medical services you can bet your ass they are covering up something much larger than you can see.
They did that to me when my wife needed to go to the hospital. I ended up taking her and she was admitted and spent 4 days in the hospital. They wouldn’t take my wife to the hospital! This is soooo true!!!!!!
My heart goes out to this man and his poor wife! Most people don't want to go to the ER. They don't call an ambulance unless they mean it! The EMTs should have done an EKG! My husband who is deceased, always had EKGs done on the spot if an ambulance was called for him when he had chest pain. And it turns out that after years of episodes and many ambulance trips' it was GERD. But there was no way to know because the pain was so crushing he literally couldn't breathe. And that's the point: even with an EKG, the most prudent thing to do is to go to the ER for a FULL evaluation. I'll keep this man and his family in my prayers and I'll pray that his beautiful wife will be in Heaven looking down on her husband and family and waiting for them when its their turn to go Home.
If I were going to make a misjudgment, I think I'd rather have someone in an ambulance that didn't really need one, than to leave someone at home who did need an ambulance. Better to be safe than sorry.
What's not acknowledged in this story is that many times a person will hesitate to take an ambulance when needed because of the outrageous cost. Only in America.
Well, all that medical equipment cost a metric ton of money, as well as keeping the ambulance maintained and staffed!! Just our cardiac monitors cost around 35K-40K EACH!!
@@bettysmith4527 < is posting in other threads, making personal attacks against other users based on no evidence. I call into question ANYTHING she is saying here.
But that’s literally not the issue discussed 🤔 I don’t think this man was contemplating costs when his very first statement was requesting an ambulance. Try to stay on topic…
This is not the paramedics place to decide to try to persuade people not to take an ambulance to the hospital. If it is found unnecessary the hospital should bill for it after the evidence shows their ride was not essential. Bill the insurance and have the insurance refuse and the charge be leveled against the patient. NO EMT should decide if a person goes or doesn't go in what could be a life/death situation. The fire department needs to be held accountable.
I'm so glad the first responders I had when I had my first heart attack were better than these!! I was in Henderson Nevada and the station was only blocks from my house. They had done all the tests, had me hooked up to the EKG and two IVs already started when I went into Vee Fib the first time. They used the defib. on me three times, once was in the ambulance. I was in the emergency room in minutes and the hospital staff was waiting for me. No hesitation, no waiting. I had another heart attack hours after leaving the hospital, I even had some of the same EMTs there working on me. No Vee Fib this time, the pain was a serious thrill!! I can really feel for this lady!! Her pain must have been hell for her!! I was trained as a first responder so yes, I know I should not have survived the three Vee Fibs but the guys never gave up on me!!
Since when does the fire department decide if you need an ambulance. I thought that decision was up to the patient?? WTF...does the fire department pay the ambulance bill of course NOT?! This is OUTRAGEOUS everyone involved with this failure should be fired!
SAVING LIVES IS WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR , NOT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE AT THE HOSPITAL ,So this guy had rather not bother with people dying as long as he keeps the hospital from being over ran
I had a cop talk me out of pressing charges one time. Turned to be a big mistake. Like anyone else, first responders sometimes want to avoid doing things that actually need to be done. They’re human just like anybody else. Trust your instincts and recognize when your interests and a professional’s interests are not aligned. It’s a shame someone had to die over this.
Justice for these families it's scary my friend was having problems breathing she was slowly starting to die in front of the fire department and EMTs and they didn't even want to put her on the gurne so we had to. She ended up passing away soon after.. RIP Jamie we miss you 🌹🌹♥️
The whole firehouse needs to be fired during the investigation. I'd feel unsafe in their hands. Never ever will I just call an ambulance now. I'll be sure to ask which fire house it's coming from. Disgusting.
"First responders", police, firemen, paramedics, EMTs, are not qualified to diagnose anything and repeatedly demonstrate severe deficiencies in attempting to do so, specifically because they do not have any training to do so. It's ridiculous that it requires legislation to prevent them from diagnosing anything. I had a friend that was bitten on the thumb by his cat. Paramedics declined to transport him. He nearly died. If he had not called me (I am a physician), he would have most certainly died. I would also like to point out that although you said: "Many of them don’t even need an ambulance, just some basic first aid. But people with chest pain are not in that number." THIS WOMAN IN THE VIDEO DID NOT HAVE CHEST PAIN. Pay attention. A woman I knew called an ambulance. She had no chest pain. She had nausea and epigastric discomfort. The paramedic diagnosed her with "stomach flu" and declined to transport her. She died of a myocardial infarction, a "heart attack". THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS STOMACH FLU. It does not exist. Period. The firefighter union president in the video is an idiot, sincerely. He said it "never happens" that people who want transported are refused transport. That makes him a liar as well as an idiot. He rightly spoke of "customers"...that's right...they don't have patients, they have customers. One step further, nobody in a labor union should ever be qualified to diagnose anybody. Why does it take legislation to prevent people from practicing medicine without a license?
Sue them out of existence, since the Phoenix Fire Department obviously has had priors of this resulting in a passed State Bill , and the City of Phoenix too. Sometimes it takes extreme measures to get leaders attention, whether that is a Fire Captain or the Mayor of a city. Then get all replaced with people who actually will do their jobs. Totally Unacceptable on all levels. Heartfelt prayers to this man and his family.
I somewhat agree, we called for an ambulance and first comes the fire truck. When time is of the essence. When the paramedics come in I think it's a bit much for the ill person to have 5 to 6 people come in. There is no happy medium. No dignity either.
I hear you. It's time for the fire trucks to stop arriving for medical emergencies; that's solely for paramedics in ambulances. There has been too much hyperbole and manufactured nonsense for several decades regarding emergency response to those in medical need.
@@garycallihan4206 uh the fire trucks have TWO paramedics on them there is only one on an ambulance and some have none. They go out to evaluate the call first to decide if an ambulance is needed, unless the information that is given to dispatcher meets a criteria that warrants an ambulance to at least be sent, still may not be used, because 70 percent of the calls we go on DONT need to be transported.
@@msc32511 doesn't matter, if an ambulance is requested, then an ambulance is needed ... 70% of BS calls are 100% that persons emergency ... stubbed toe for one person could need an ambulance or someone whom could be having a cardiac event might just jump into their POV and drive to ER and not contact 911 ... it's their common sense and what they deem an emergency and at what cost their willing to take in either circumstance
@@danielclark1003 an ambulance is not requested, an ambulance is dispatched as needed determined by information received by dispatch from calling party (not necessarily even anyone associated with patient). We get drive by callers ALL THE TIME for homeless that are simply sleeping. The fire trucks who have two paramedics on them also determine if an ambulance is needed if it is not on the initial dispatch. People that think the ambulance is some magical box with doctor like paramedics on them are sadly mistaken. They are usually staffed with new paramedics and or a guy working overtime.
This is shocking, I've called the ambulance bc I needed to get to the ER, it was a emergency to ME and that should be enough. I can say I've never had a paramedic tell me to just drive, or get a ride. Paramedics are not suppose to diagnose you, even Dr's don't do that without proper testing.
In 2002, I had what I believed was a severe asthma attack at work. I keeled over, unable to catch my breath and in horrible chest pain that radiated to my back, and my co-workers called for an ambulance. My vitals were taken in the ambulance and one EMT declared that my pulse ox was within normal range and that I had to be faking it and I was just a hypochondriac female looking for attention. I shot back "Well, you're just an a-hole!" The EMT lunged at me but his partner caught him and said "Let's just take her to the hospital to be on the safe side." They left me alone in the back and I swear that a-hole not only took the long way but also hit every single bad spot on the roads. At the ER entrance, an orderly met us and asked what the problem seemed to be (by now, I was curled up in a fetal position and trying not to vomit), and a-hole replied, "Nothing. She's faking it to get out of going to work. You'll be releasing her in an hour." The EMTs dumped me in the waiting area and left. I vomited twice and begged for an inhaler (by now, I was delirious with pain and felt that I was having a heart attack). I think someone had the sense to call my PCP because I was immediately sent for an ultrasound which revealed that my gall bladder had died. Twelve hours later I was undergoing emergency surgery. When I came out of anesthesia, the surgeon remarked that he had never seen a gall bladder in such bad shape in a person my age (I was 32). It hadn't gone gangrenous, but another 72 hours could have sent my body into shock. I'm reminded of that line from HOUSE, M.D. when the EMT tried to tell House his diagnosis of a patient was wrong, to which House replied, "And if you had knuckled down a little harder in high school you could've been a doctor. Now get out my way!"
These "life savers" helped Bruce put his wife IN THEIR CAR. Yes, they knew they wanted to go to the emergency room. The paramedics wasted precious time and diagnosed the patient as just another Covid "over reactor". That's NOT their call, they failed this man and his poor wife. So sad.
Phoenix is a shithole. My grandma passed in 2020, from natural causes. We had to threaten a lawsuit for them to change her cause of death from covid, to the real cause. She never tested positive. They just wanted to beef their damn numbers, for the msm. Evidently, their fire crews aren't any better. Screw Phoenix. I'll never go back.
So ironic. Years ago my husband had a Kidney stone. Phoenix Fire decided not an emergency and I should take him to the hospital in my car. I have great insurance and they said ambulance rides are expensive. So I asked for help loading him in my car as he could barely move and I had a baby 3 days prior by c-section. They said they weren't allowed to load him in my car so I said looks like you'll be taking him to the hospital then. I stood my ground,but it was difficult after just having a baby by c-section and having 4 grown men tell me I was overreacting. I made the right call and he required medical intervention, stone far too large to pass. He was in shock too, it was negligent to not take him.
@@leilan9231 that's unacceptable. I'm considered a hick ass NC volunteer, but we never did anything like that. I couldn't imagine a scenario, where that could've even happened. Phoenix is a shithole, anymore. That's apparent, when ghetto ass areas of NC act better. Sorry you had to deal with that, on behalf of all true responders.
I could not believe they did that!!! I’ve been a paramedic for 16 years and I have never once tried to talk someone out of going to the hospital. I have had families call for their family member and the patient needs to go but does not want to or says they want their family to drive them. When I point out that they are to sick to even get in to the car themselves they usually realize it’s probably a good idea to go by ambulance. The incompetence and straight up laziness from those fire fighters is embarrassing and disgusting. If this happened where i work she would have gotten a 12-lead EKG, an iv, medication AND I’d the EKG showed a heart attack we would have sent her EKG to the hospital and a cath lab team would have been waiting for her. Those people need to lose their jobs. But they won’t because the union will protect them.
My friend called 911, and when the ambulance arrived, they made her walk down the stairs, though she was suffering from kidney failure, and was unable to walk at all!; two days later she died in the hospital! Another time, just prior to that incident, she fell over unconscious in my vehicle, and the EMTs did nothing, but tell her to see her doctor, then continued to chat up his buddies about their weekend adventures. The doctor explained that she had suffered a heart attack!
I called an ambulance for the first time a couple of years ago. I wasn’t sure what was wrong but knew I needed to get to a hospital fast. I was alone but conscious and able to make decisions. I found it interesting that I was questioned whether I really needed to go with the ambulance. Would I have called if I didn’t think it was critical? I would guess their are instances where people call but don’t really need it, but why would you take that chance?
This is sad. As a former volunteer EMT, if a patient wants to go to the hospital, they go. You do not refuse them to go. My heart goes out to this man & his family. Clearly the fire department members needs more training.
I don’t understand how he can say if we take everyone then the hospitals will be overrun. That’s not his call. 🤦🏽♀️ honestly if their are more people going to the hospital eventually they will hire more staff. That’s how businesses work.
If an ama is not signed then it never happened.. so considering the original call requested an amulance.. the fire department has no grounds to fight claims of patient and husband. They are liable...
I’m not surprised. Sometimes you get an aggressive, egomaniacal , paramedic that thinks he’s an MD. These types of guys are extremely dangerous to the public. Paramedic boss interviewed is a liar, I hope more people sue these lazy jerks as it makes the hard working paramedics look bad.
happened to me in 1983 in Phoenix...I was in a motorcycle accident, I was hit real hard and had a head injury...the first ambulance didn't pick me up, they called another that worked for a state hospital...I ended up flatlining (ever heard of the golden 20 minutes?), but I made it....and the cops let go the bit** that hit me (she had no license and no registration)...I have been an EMT myself, and if in doubt there is a call to "medical direction", and the doctors, not the medics, make the decision...
