Skip to content

As Usual, The Truth Is Somewhere Between The Extremes

16 comments

Most of the EMS internet forums have been abuzz lately with the story of the Pittsburgh man who died before EMS could reach him, after his wife called 911 ten times in 30 hours.

As usual, most EMTs who read it were quick to crucify the EMS crew based on nothing more than news reports and public statements from the city’s Public Safety Director.

Turns out, the Public Safety Director may have his own agenda, and as usual, the reporters story left out any facts that didn’t fit the critical tone of the story.

TOTWTYTR has a comment from someone who works in the system who adds some valuable perspective to the news accounts.

Never judge a story based entirely on media accounts, folks. If I had a dollar for every time I read a news account of a call I ran, and wondered if the reporter was actually at the same scene I was, I’d be a rich man.

Accuracy and objectivity is the exception for today’s news media, not the rule.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted by on February 20, 2010 • Filed under: Uncategorized
  • mizmoose

    I lived in Pittsburgh for over 25 yrs (& can't wait to move back) & I've known both police officers and EMS workers, and I'm pretty confident when I say, it's not the EMS workers. It's the management, and, far worse, it's the political jerks. Pittsburgh has been in a state of broke or near broke for a long, long time, and the corruption in the city government has been no help.

    For example, the EMS system tracks calls by … paper! That's right, there's a computer system, but it's archaic and hard to use, so many things just are done the old fashioned way.

    I was commenting about this story on another's site and there was a lot of kerfluffle about how “hilly” Pittsburgh is. The area where this poor guy died is in a flood plain, next to one of the rivers. It's completely flat. [I used to live not far from there, some years back.] There's a fire station less than half a mile away, no hills between them. Yet Pittsburgh EMS does not officially use a first-responder triage system for calls.

    So where's all the money going that could be used to fix this infrastructure? I try not to think about it, because the answers are sad and scary.

  • mizmoose

    I lived in Pittsburgh for over 25 yrs (& can't wait to move back) & I've known both police officers and EMS workers, and I'm pretty confident when I say, it's not the EMS workers. It's the management, and, far worse, it's the political jerks. Pittsburgh has been in a state of broke or near broke for a long, long time, and the corruption in the city government has been no help.

    For example, the EMS system tracks calls by … paper! That's right, there's a computer system, but it's archaic and hard to use, so many things just are done the old fashioned way.

    I was commenting about this story on another's site and there was a lot of kerfluffle about how “hilly” Pittsburgh is. The area where this poor guy died is in a flood plain, next to one of the rivers. It's completely flat. [I used to live not far from there, some years back.] There's a fire station less than half a mile away, no hills between them. Yet Pittsburgh EMS does not officially use a first-responder triage system for calls.

    So where's all the money going that could be used to fix this infrastructure? I try not to think about it, because the answers are sad and scary.

  • totwtytr

    mizoose, I think I read your comment on the other site and appreciate your insights. As Rogue Medic, AD, and I all suggest, there is probably way more too this than meets the eye. Pittsburgh isn't alone in having EMS management that would be willing to throw medics or EMTs under the bus to advance an agenda. Witness the recent controversy over NYC EMS dispatchers, who in the end turned out to have done the right thing. I've seen it in my system and no doubt it happens elsewhere.

    It seems in this case the problem was not only snow, but downed power lines. I don't know if the FD could mitigate either hazard or if sending them would be all that helpful. Unfortunately, management probably won't explain and my experience is that most reporters go for the easy story and are too lazy to dig out the real facts of a story.

  • Pingback: The University of Maine – College of Engineering – MATEC – Online … | Educational Maine

  • totwtytr

    mizoose, I think I read your comment on the other site and appreciate your insights. As Rogue Medic, AD, and I all suggest, there is probably way more too this than meets the eye. Pittsburgh isn't alone in having EMS management that would be willing to throw medics or EMTs under the bus to advance an agenda. Witness the recent controversy over NYC EMS dispatchers, who in the end turned out to have done the right thing. I've seen it in my system and no doubt it happens elsewhere.

    It seems in this case the problem was not only snow, but downed power lines. I don't know if the FD could mitigate either hazard or if sending them would be all that helpful. Unfortunately, management probably won't explain and my experience is that most reporters go for the easy story and are too lazy to dig out the real facts of a story.

  • Valerie

    Responsible investigative reporting was slain long ago by greed.

  • Valerie

    Responsible investigative reporting was slain long ago by greed.

  • El_Dano

    Boneheads (not the EMTs). They had to call in the national guard to help get folks because the Humvees could make it where the ambulances couldn't. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but on a low priority call no “heroic” actions will be taken by the crew. Sounds more like a communications breakdown between dispatch and the units (or rather dispatch not giving needed information).

  • El_Dano

    Boneheads (not the EMTs). They had to call in the national guard to help get folks because the Humvees could make it where the ambulances couldn't. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but on a low priority call no “heroic” actions will be taken by the crew. Sounds more like a communications breakdown between dispatch and the units (or rather dispatch not giving needed information).

  • El_Dano

    Boneheads (not the EMTs). They had to call in the national guard to help get folks because the Humvees could make it where the ambulances couldn't. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but on a low priority call no “heroic” actions will be taken by the crew. Sounds more like a communications breakdown between dispatch and the units (or rather dispatch not giving needed information).

  • Pingback: Anonymous Comments on the Death of Curtis Mitchell | Sacramento Medical Training

  • Pingback: Podcasting, Critical Judgment, and the Death of Curtis Mitchell Part I | Sacramento Medical Training

  • Pingback: Podcasting, Critical Judgment, and the Death of Curtis Mitchell Part II | Sacramento Medical Training

  • Pingback: Podcasting, Critical Judgment, and the Death of Curtis Mitchell Part I | Rogue Medic

  • Pingback: Anonymous Comments on the Death of Curtis Mitchell | Rogue Medic

  • Pingback: Podcasting, Critical Judgment, and the Death of Curtis Mitchell Part II | Rogue Medic

Vote for me! Click Here

Polarized sunglasses, Flashlights, and Hiking boots.