By Tim Puko
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh officials have denied the appeal of two paramedics disciplined in connection with the death of a Hazelwood man who died during a February snowstorm while waiting 30 hours for an ambulance.
Anthony Weinmann, president of the Fraternal Association of Professional Paramedics, Local No. 1, said the union plans to fight the denials. It will seek arbitration for Josie Dimon, an 11-year veteran fired as acting crew chief of the Medic 8 unit, and likely will seek arbitration for Kim Long, a 19-year veteran crew chief who was suspended for six days, Weinmann said.
Curtis Mitchell, 50, died of heart disease and a fatty liver before paramedics reached him Feb. 7. He and his wife made 10 calls to 911, but paramedics asked him several times to walk through the snow to reach ambulances stranded by that weekend’s snowstorm.
“He ain’t (expletive) comin’ down, and I ain’t waiting all day for him,” Dimon, whose unit responded to Mitchell’s home, said on tape. “I mean, what the (expletive)? This ain’t no cab service.”
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office did not respond to a request to explain the denials. City officials announced their original decision March 23, accusing Dimon and Long of failing to take necessary action, among several city policy violations.
They suspended two other district chiefs, Norman Auvil and Ron Curry, who do not have union representation.
Lawyers for both sides have started talks to select an arbitrator, assistant city solicitor Wendy Kobee said. It could be six weeks before a hearing. An arbitrator then would have 30 days to finalize a ruling, which can be appealed to Common Pleas Court, Kobee said.
Long declined comment Wednesday. Dimon could not be reached for comment.
Republished with permission from The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review