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| How did Escambia's EMS go from a 100% rating from the State of Florida in late July, 2018, to being flat on it's "back" just 8 months later? |
How did this all start? The dysfunction, the tribalism, and eventually--the indictments?
Escambia County EMS is emerging from about a 3 1/2 year period of great turmoil--as multiple former employees are having charges dropped and deals cut for them to clear their names and resume their careers.
And for these folks---it has been absolutely devastating--even as they look to emerge from out of the clouds of suspicion.
Others have resigned and left. Previous leadership has been feckless and weak. Employees were left twisting in the wind, and complaints of harrassment were buried and those who complained were subsequently targeted. It was a toxic, disgusting mess.
Thankfully, this is changing now.
Because we now have new leadership, a new medical director contract, a new public safety director, a new EMS chief and a new County Administrator--- and things are looking up. But none of this will erase what has happened--so we have to go back a few years to get the answer to this big question:
How did this all start, anyway? I am going to be discussing this issue later this morning on Real News with Rick Outzen at 7:10----and when he posts the podcast I will link it here.
The Beginning:
Some time in 2016 or 2017--a tragic event unfolded on Pine Forest Road. A young man was struck in the road by a truck, and sadly this individual--who had suffered tremendous injuries-- perished.
Meanwhile a video emerged subsequently that was horrific: It showed this very incident, post-accident, as the Escambia EMS crew arrived on scene. What followed was a very slow and calous response to the scene, where the patient's body was moved improperly and handled roughly. It was a gut-wrenching thing to watch.
As it happens, this young man's mom happens to be a registered nurse--and she was not going to let this horrible response go unnoticed. So she reached out to administrator Jack Brown, Commissioner Grover Robinson, and the other commissioners as well. I had a meeting with this individual in my office. It was extremely heavy, and very tragic. She was angry, upset, and heartbroken. And she wanted change. I expressed support, at that time, for fixing that issue and others this individual brought up.
The events that followed--in an effort to "fix" issues--- actually morphed into something even more sinister and destructive. Much more on this in my continuing series on this topic.....
8 comments:
Thanks for this. The Pod cast is published, I listened to that also.
I see one of the five is getting the courage to say something on ECW -- good for her.
I'm glad the Go Fund me for Edler that Pineapple started and Mrs, Underhill, Jacqueline Rogers contributing to got taken down back in the day.... I know that was questioned and might have made a difference in it going away.
One of the targeted Five tried to speak up on Escambia Citizens Watch and Jacqueline Rogers throws down a laugh emoticon, says she is lying, mutes her and puts her in time out. Then speaks about her when she can not retort. Wonder what will happen next?
Sounds familiar.
Jacqueline not only muted her when she tried to share her story. She went on to blatantly lie when she could not defend herself. “Involuntary Inactive” on her and Leon Salter’s paramedic license status only means that they did not renew their license. This was done because they have both retired and do not wish to return to the field at any point. As you can see Steve White’s is voluntarily inactive, Kate Kenney’s is still clear and active. The DOH has had nothing to do with any licensure action at this point because those things do not happen until either a DOAH hearing has been completed or a Final Order has been issued by the DOH board. A simple google search for FL DOH license statuses refutes Jacquelines so called facts. Hey Jacqueline, your ineptitude is showing.
Thank you Anon 7:20. I was so furious when I saw Jacqueline intentionally libeling Karen (and vague "others") on their licenses, I emailed the posts to Commissioner Bergosh and said that if he plans to do a series on how the EMS unravelling happened, he needs to devote an entire chapter to Jacqueline's part in wrecking our Public Safety with her malicious slander and disinformation.
Also, to the best my knowledge, those two past paramedics encouraging Jacqueline's libel haven't worked for the County in ages and I have been told they were both terminated for good reason. I am ignorant of what their personnel files would reflect.
As I said in a previous post, she's only going to get worse now that she has lost her stature at the County and Doug doesn't care enough any more to pressure staff to mollycoddle her self-interested land use whims. People say to me "well she really can't get any worse" and my response is "just watch."
Perhaps to even go further, a common theme in all this is the legal determination of pronouncement of Death by law. In Florida who can do that when and where.
That was the issue in the victim at the railroad track call also discussed in Rayme Edler's deposition. Would she like every death she has been involved in combed over with a fine tooth comb? I doubt it.
It should be noted EMTs are being paid as a public service really to help clean up fatalities and clear the roadway, they are not special doctors running around saving people from themselves and they have limited skills.
If they are able to save a life and transport for additional emergency care then that is a plus for a taxpayer. It is an enterprise fund for the county if the billing is done correctly.
Also there are HIPAA laws and I would think videoing an accident scene and publishing it on social media violates that, but if the person is deceased, then they have no voice.
I would suspect in the video released on ECW that the EMT went to the scene of a fatality and had to transport to a physician to make the death determination.
A grieving mother (who is also a nurse and friends with an ER physician)viewing that was left with questions and how to deal with the instance of her child's death, even though the child was not a minor.
Note the relationship between emergency physician, emergency nurses and emergency technicians has its own set of conflict, blame, drama and fingerpointing on a day to day basis and death is an everyday part of the job and part of life. They scream at each other, high adrenaline, what happens happens and let it go. You can't chew over it like cud every morning when you wake up.
Note: don't post videos of accidental death to Escambia Citizen Watch so that Underhill can use it to pretend he is a hero.
Does this sound callous and objective, yes.
Work near an ER and see how crazy it is day in and day out.
Watch a movie and think of the Pulp Fiction scene of the overdose.
Things don't need to be second guessed, publicized, and gone over and over years from the day.
If people don't want to keep the trauma alive and grieve and let go and not have people talking about it years from that day, them maybe don't post it on the internet. PTSD
Don't walk out in front of cars at night.. or whatever happened..
Sociopaths don't seem to realize the damage they do.
That could be a chapter in the facebook, Escambia Citizens Watch part in the debacle.
Anon 3:02, tons of good points that need attention. Just checked in with social media tonight and woops, there Jacqueline goes again. In hysterics and pumping double overtime with her disinformation. From ECW, for those of you who can't read there because she has you (among hundreds) blocked:
Karen Stewart Wood
Jacqueline Aimee Rogers I did not involuntarily give up my license. Please quit spreading false information. I did not renew my Paramedic License because I retired 8/2019. I purposely let it lapse. I just had my 2nd neck surgery caused by an ambulance wreck when I was working. I can never work again. Here is the explanation on what those terms mean. Involuntary/Inactive means the EMT or Paramedic did not renew their license within the 2 year renewal period. I would appreciate a retraction from you. Thank you.
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So Jacqueline changes tactics. Doesn't answer the fact that she libeled Karen, at all. Switches gears to who technically filed the complaint at DOH. We're all aware, JAR, that Edler worked her nonsense up and handed over the steaming plate of BS to the county attorney to deal with.
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Jacqueline Aimee Rogers
Karen Stewart Wood Your turn now to show me where Dr. Edler filed a complaint with the Department of Health against you individually! You and your pals keep saying that.
I see the Administrative Complaint listed on your license and I can link to that but you are claiming that it was only because of a complaint that she filed because she vowed to "go after" you. So where is your proof? Where is the complaint that she supposedly filed against you?
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Jacqueline: are you sure Edler didn't file any other complaints to the DOH beyond this initial foray?
WHEN is the community going to purge this sick, twisted handmaiden from their notice.
Watch JAR
She's trying to gaslight paramedic, when posted it is the thread it says JAR put her in time out 24 hours. In her own words. I'm sure you have the screen shots. So no she not technically blocked just muter for a period.
Then JAR is telling Karen that you made up that the medical director started the DOH investigation.
"From WEAR April 29, 2019
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) — After a Florida Department of Health investigation was launched into Escambia County EMS, following an internal complaint from the County Medical Director ..."
September 29, 2021 at 3:02 PM
It is reported that one died the next day, so it is probably not disputed that they did not receive the proper care at the scene, I believe those two EMTs were dismissed.
So that is a correction to that.
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