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False death declaration leads to EMS changes in Md.

The two responders underwent a quality assurance review after the incident and received two additional days of training

WUSA9

GLENARDEN, Md. — Three months after her father died, Laverne Glenn is waiting for an apology from the medics who declared him dead, and left him on an apartment floor receiving no treatment until he was seen breathing about an hour-and-a-half later.

Her dad, George Waters, died the next day.

Glenn says she is pleased that the medics received additional training but is upset that they received no additional disciplinary action because of their error.

“I’m not going to necessarily say they should be terminated completely, but I think a little bit more than two days of training (is called for).

"(There) should have been something done, a suspension or something.

“I mean, I lost my father and they were only trained for two days.

“I think the first thing they should have known, already known, was to check someone’s vital signs,” she said.

A spokesman for the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department tells 9NEWS NOW the two EMS workers underwent a quality assurance review after the incident and did receive two additional days of training.

The Waters case also lead to a change in procedure in the county.

Now, medics have to attach monitors to the patient and discuss readings with an emergency room physician before they can make a declaration of death at the scene.

Republished with permission from WUSA9