The Houston Matter

[Guest guest]

Let's all stop and take a deep breath before pillorying TDH over handling of

the Houston FD ex-mayor's SUV transport, please.

I'd like to point out some things that have been said but might need

reviewing.

1. The medics who actually made the transport pursuant to the order of

Hizz-lackof-Honor, Mayor Brown, were between a rock and a hard place and most

of us would have done the same thing under the circumstances since there was

NO parity between them and there was no policy in place to govern the

situation.

2. The medics were never seriously in personal trouble, since TDH well

understood the situation and took into account the dilemma they were in.

3. The investigation that ensued produced a real dialog between the city and

TDH which resulted in the education of some people in the Mayor's office

about EMS (which they should have known but apparently didn't) and the

eventual formulation of a good policy which follows the existing law.

4. No special dispensations have been given to Houston, and the situation

has been resolved to the better understanding on the part of the Mayor and

his staff about their role in medical matters.

5. The medical director is to be commended for remaining calm and working

through this matter without becoming either a casualty of it, with the result

that he and his staff have a clear guideline and policy to work with which

now everybody understands.

6. The fire department was not a party to the mayor's order and never took

the position that SUV transport was correct.

7. When you've got a situation with two powerful, arrogant, rich politicians

stepping in it, you need to let it dry on their shoes, which it has done.

You can't fight them and win ON THE SPOT, but you can sure make them smell it

for a long time, which has happened. Well, Lanier probably hasn't because

he's such an obvious nitwit that he is probably uneducable. But progress has

definitely been made.

8. The people at TDH deserve some pats on the back in this case for being

cool and collected and doing their job with integrity and good judgment.

Further Affiant Sayeth Not.

Gene

E. Gandy, JD, LP

EMS Professions Program

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, TX