By Clark Kauffman
Des Moines Register
DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Terry Branstad defended his administration’s oversight of Iowa’s emergency medical system today, saying he doesn’t want to micro-manage the state Department of Public Health.
“It’s the Department of Public Health that has the responsibility to oversee this,” Branstad said. “And I know they have a tight budget — and, I guess, I am not a micro-manager. I respect their decision to allocate their priorities in the way they think is appropriate.”
The Des Moines Register revealed today that state has licensed a Sioux County emergency medical technician who has 23 criminal convictions for burglary, theft, escape, forgery and other crimes. The state’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, which is part of the Department of Public Health, is also allowing a Dayton man to work as an EMT despite past convictions for attempted murder and theft, and an arrest on an arson charges.
Read full story: Branstad says he won’t ‘micro-manage’ EMS in Iowa