Medic’s Perspective on Mitchell Case.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | February 22, 2010

Here is a comment made by a reader who calls himself “Rogue Medic” concerning the PLBT post (immediately below) commending Public Safety Director Michael Huss for apologizing to the family of Mr. Mitchell and stating the response to the 911 calls was unacceptable.  Rogue Medic says that Huss blamed the medics for decisions to abandon the calls when those decisions were communicated to them by the dispatcher. The comment responded to the following statement in the post:

Rather than make excuses, the City’s Public Safety Director apologized to the family and stated flatly that this performance was unacceptable.

I only see excuses from Public Safety Director Michael Huss. He claims that it was not his fault, because it was the fault of the medics. As if they were being lazy, in stead of running from patient to patient and digging themselves out of the snow every time they were stuck on streets that were not plowed. The decision to nothelp EMS get to patients was not made by the medics.

Each time the ambulance became stuck in the snow about a quarter of a mile from the patient’s residence.

Each time the ambulance was canceled by the caller or the 911 center.

First call. Medic 5 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 02:09 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by the caller at 03:57 02/06/2010.

Second call. Medic 8 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 04:53 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by the caller at 06:23 02/06/2010.

Third call. Medic 7 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 11:18 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by dispatch at 21:31 02/06/2010.

How is being canceled behavior that deserves blame or punishment?

6 medics, several supervisors, and others, made requests for assistance and snow plows in three attempts to get this patient to the hospital. Each time the medics were canceled.

Do not praise Public Safety Director Michael Huss for scapegoating the medics in his fraudulent apology.

Where was Public Safety Director Michael Huss while the medics were trying to get to Curtis Mitchell to keep him from dying?

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CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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