MyFoxDC
WASHINGTON — A paramedic with the D.C. Fire Department is on paid administrative leave after he allegedly refused to accompany a patient to the hospital. The patient later died. Officials are now trying to determine if the five year veteran ignored the standard protocols or simply made a bad decision in assessing the condition of the 87-year-old woman he was asked to help.
The Fire Chief declined to confirm the basic facts of the story so our reporting is coming through sources. What we know so far is this: on November 17th a paramedic assigned to Engine 11 allegedly examined an 87-year-old woman and determined her condition wasn’t serious. But when asked to stay with the patient on the ride to the hospital with the EMT’s assigned to the ambulance, the paramedic allegedly refused.
Since the fire department is not releasing the facts in the allegation, the patient’s name and address or even her medical condition, there’s much we don’t know.