By EMS1 Staff
SHESHATSHIU, Newfoundland — A video showing a paramedic’s mistreatment of a family prompted an internal review.
CBC News reported that April Pone called an ambulance for her daughter after she had been sick for four days and made two trips to the hospital. A video shows the responding paramedic having a conversation with Pone.
“All right, well let’s go. Let’s get her ready, bring her up,” he said.
“Do you always treat people like that?” Pone replied.
“Well I mean, you have a van outside, the clinic’s open all day,” he said.
Pone said the paramedic’s actions were “like a policeman” and that he wasn’t helping her but instead telling her what to do.
The paramedic wanted to know why she called an ambulance instead of driving her daughter to the hospital since there was a van parked outside. In the video, Pone said it belonged to her mother, who had arrived after Pone had already called EMS.
“If I had a van or a vehicle, I wouldn’t be needing them,” Pone said.
Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Band Council Chief Eugene Hart said the paramedic is no longer welcome in their community.
“I don’t treat people like that, and I don’t expect people from outside to come in and to talk to my people like that,” Hart said. “I think the parents are owed an apology.”
A Labrador-Grenfell Health spokesperson said an investigation is underway.
“Labrador-Grenfell Health has had dialogue with the Sheshatshiu Innu Band Council and advises that upon completion of the Health Authority review, it will take action if and as appropriate,” the spokesperson said.