Legal Issues
The legal issues topic contains news and information about legal issues affecting EMS personnel, agencies or departments. Find the latest news from personnel misconduct, to disciplinary and harassment cases, to malpractice lawsuits, as well as advice to prevent legal action with EMS training, documentation and management.
The IAFC Coronavirus Task Force recommends several steps to help return to restoration of normal public safety services
12 strategies for laying a foundation for a rewarding career while onboarding new employees
While important for employee development, performance evaluations are only as good as the effort put forth to create them
Nicholas James Dickerson took photos of himself sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl at a fire station; the photos were discovered in a deleted picture folder on his phone
The man’s attorney said he was acting in self-defense after being pushed over by a fire captain
The paramedics were forced to work a 20-hour shift to transport a patient; officials said crews regularly work shifts of more than 15 hours
Fire Chief Gary Ludwig will discuss the critical role fire departments play in the fast-changing health care system at Fire-Rescue Med conference in May
Expand your knowledge of EMS care beyond rote memorization and you’ll soon realize that you are rarely withholding care
The woman stole the ambulance from a medical center; police were able to quickly track the ambulance down because of its GPS tracker
For every action in EMS there are consequences — sometimes positive and sometimes negative — but sometimes you do what you gotta do
The EMT allegedly exchanged sexually explicit photos and videos with the junior firefighter for several months
The two firefighters were suspended after transporting a toddler in their fire truck instead of waiting for an ambulance; one firefighter said he would do it again
Researchers find a growing number of patients without a spontaneous heartbeat who regain consciousness while receiving CPR
These are universal strategies for effective emails, social media posts, text messages and official reports
The firefighters have received an outpouring of support on a Facebook page advocating their reinstatement
Aurora EMT Craig Whitham was the treasurer for the company; he has been missing since Feb. 22
Expect more oversight of EMS billing through post-payment audits and increased investigations, prosecution
Here is why paramedic chiefs and EMS leaders need to have a drug-free workplace policy to restrict EMS provider marijuana use
Answering these questions provides a blueprint for a quality process and product implementation into the EMS agency
The woman allegedly stole the money over the course of a year; she was arrested earlier this week
Our rush to public shaming might reveal our own fear of occasional shocking indifference towards the people we are entrusted to treat
Two recruits were given instructor only test banks as a study guide for an EMT test and one recruit had taken pictures of test questions
Not billing for EMS patient transport leaves money in the pockets of insurance companies and government programs created to pay for ambulance transport
The man was suffering a heart attack when an ambulance he was in crashed, throwing him into a ditch; he died from his injuries
The bill would go into effect in January 2017 and cost the state an estimated $2.2 million annually
Use leap year’s extra day to learn, review and share the best practices, books and patient care tips to be a great medic
Craig Whitham was last seen Monday morning and disappeared without his cell phone or wallet
The fallout from the bankruptcy of a major NYC 911 EMS response agency will be felt most heavily by EMS providers on the street
Karen Mercer allegedly stole $4,350 from the department and used the money for personal finances
Firefighters from across the country call for changing the protocol that prohibits certified medical first responders from using epinephrine