San incident revisted.

[Guest guest]

FYI.

-Wes

Agency seeks to punish emergency workers

SAN ANTONIO — The Texas Department of State Health Services wants to

suspend three emergency workers and reprimand another who responded to

a car accident in which one victim appeared dead but was actually alive.

The agency mailed notices to Mike Gardner, Bullock,

Huntsman and last week. The San Fire Department

had already disciplined them for their roles in assessing a N.

, whose vital signs were not checked after a head-on collision on

Dec. 16.

, 23, remained in the wreckage with a tarp over her body for more

than an hour before it was discovered she was still breathing. She died

the next day.

The agency said Gardner didn't check 's vital signs even after he

" witnessed the patient move " and that did not make " direct

voice contact " with an on-call doctor — which is standard procedure for

San paramedics who are on the scene for more than 20 minutes,

San Express-News reported.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said Huntsman and Bullock

did not make physical contact " with that patient to check or measure "

her vital signs.

The agency proposed suspending the paramedic certifications of Gardner,

Bullock and Huntsman for one year and reprimanding . The men

have about a week to request a conference or hearing on the proposed

punishment.

After the incident, Gardner was transferred to the San Fire

Department's firefighting division and permanently restricted from

working as a paramedic in San . Huntsman, Bullock and

were de-authorized as San paramedics indefinitely and

transferred to the firefighting division.

" They've already been punished, " said Steele, president of the

San Professional Firefighters Association. " The guys are

already not on the ambulance, so it's kind of redundant. "

Assistant Fire Chief Guerra said it's up to the state agency to

make decisions about paramedics' certification or license.

" That's the state's call, " Guerra said.

None of the men could be reached Friday. A message was left for Steele

seeking comment from the men.

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