The county medical director took away their credentials in 2005.
By Demorris A. Lee
St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Copyright 2007 Times Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Two former paramedics have won their claims against the city of Clearwater for their 2005 firings, but because of a little-known state law, they still may never practice as paramedics in Pinellas County again.
City officials, following the orders of federal arbitrators, offered Trevor Murray and Mike Jones new jobs last week at their old pay scale as paramedics but at the post of firefighters.
The reason, city officials said: The two men can’t actually perform paramedic duties because the county’s medical director stripped them of their credentials when they were fired. Separate federal arbitrators have since dubbed each termination as unlawful.
Murray and Jones have yet to accept the new jobs. Their attorney, Paul Donnelly, said his clients remain skeptical that the city will work in good faith to help them get their paramedics certification back in Pinellas County.
City officials have said their hands are tied. It’s the county medical director, not an employee of the City Commission, that grants or revokes paramedics’ certification.
“We are ready to move forward, it’s as simple as that,” said Bill Horne, the city’s manager. “We have been ordered by an arbitrator to restore them to city employment and we are doing that in a manner consistent with the order.”
Dr. Laurie Romig, the county’s medical director, has said the initial reason for Murray and Jones’ termination - their failure to answer a 911 call - gave her sufficient justification to pull the men’s credentials, regardless of whether the city followed appropriate disciplinary procedures. Last week, Romig said the two men could re-apply, “But it’s not guaranteed to be successful.”
Under a state law requested by the county years ago, Pinellas is the only county in the state whose medical director has the right to revoke a paramedic’s license, said Lauren Buzzelli, a state Department of Health spokesperson. The state oversees paramedic certification in Florida’s 66 other counties, and in fact, Jones has been practicing as a paramedic in Pasco County recently.
Murray and Jones were fired in May 2005 after they failed to answer the 911 call of a woman who constantly called and claimed rape. Clearwater police responded to the call and admitted the woman to the hospital for a mental evaluation. Murray and Jones both say they should have answered the call, should have been punished, but shouldn’t have been fired.
In pair of letters last week, city officials said the two men should report to their new jobs April 23. In Murray’s case, the city said it will write a letter to Romig, the county’s medical director, requesting that his paramedic certification be returned. The federal arbitrator in Murray’s case had ordered the city to help his effort to be recertified.
Friday afternoon, Donnelly replied to the city’s offer, saying that “it is difficult to imagine that the current city administrators will ever act in good faith to support Mr. Murray’s employment and effort with the Pinellas County [Office of Medical Director].”
The same language was used in a letter on Jones’ behalf.
“Given the City’s public and antagonistic position in this high-profile case, the City must do more than ‘send a letter’ to Dr. Romig to show its support is in good faith,” Donnelly wrote.
Copies of both the city’s and Donnelly’s correspondence can be seen at links.tampabay.com.