EMTs refused to help dying pregnant mother

I just went through something similar in Philadelphia. In spite of EMT's being told CPR was being done, they took their time. Once in the home, they did nothing to revive. Then I have found out that other units logged that they were here when they were not. EMT claimed to see what they did not see, Police in home did nothing to help me save my Michael.

In Philadelphia, call 911, they hang up on you if you do not talk to them. Forget the fact somebody is screaming in background trying to help ill person, forget about listening, sending help to that address. No, they just hang up and ignore call completly.

It's not as simple as it seems, which is evident if you know anything about the way an EMS system works. First of all they were dispatchers, dispatchers are not trained medics, they are given pre-made "flash cards" for pre-arrival care of an EMS crew, they are not prepared for actual caregiving. Secondly, in an emergency situation there is nothing else to do besides call 911, without their equipment any EMT or Paramedic can do little more than basic layman's CPR. Thus, the call to 911 was an absolute necessity. While I do believe more empathy could have been used by the dispatchers in such a situation, there is little more they could have done, particularly in the event of a cardiac arrest which requires a defibrillator, cardiac monitor to analyze the exact cardiac rhythms occuring, and IV medications to stabilize the abnormal heart functioning, were one to hope for the best possible outcome.

What I think should be taken from this is to be more grateful and thankful to working EMS crews during non-emergency situations. Rarely are crews given appreciation for the hard hours they work, the stressful situations they enter daily, and the dedication they give to patients who are rarely cooperative or honest. While it is unfortunate that this young lady lost her life, EMS services are not miracle workers, and that should be understood. Even in the best of caregiving situations the outcome may have been no different, and it is unfair to the rest of the hardworking dedicated majority of firefighters and EMS crew to lay blame across the board.

The EMTs know where they should stuff those donuts. Just hope somebody ignores them when they go into cardiac arrest.

They should have helped the woman. But by law they do have a choice. It sucks to sy but pople die and sue everyday. I would have tried to save her but not because it is my job but the right thing to do. I would want someone to help out my wife, mother, grandmother or sister. Wouldn't you?

New Yauk City.

I hope there is more to this story, as a nurse there are times that I question whether or not I would help someone outside the hospital setting for fear of being sued, stripped of my license and my career. (Yes it has happened before even the good samaritan law doesn't protect us all the time) But honestly, when it comes down to it I would help someone in need, all that fear would be pushed aside.

Those two should be waterboarded to put it nicely, and as a new yorker I have several other vivid phrases to tell those two asses but they cant be published here.

useless fucks, drop the donuts and help. what fucking morons

What? This makes no sense at all. There's gotta be more to this story OR it isn't true. Hey, if you're in health care you do what needs done WHEN it needs done.

Off with their heads! They will probably be put on administrative leave with full pay however.

These guys names have been splashed all over the news. I hope their friends and familys make their life's hell.

This is America, don't expect anyone to actually care about your plight...This is a selfish nation and I don't understand why any of you are ever surprised when something like this happens.

This is so terrible, and i agree those two EMT should be charged and do prison time. Although money never replaces a loved one, I hope this family sues the crap out of the city. How can they sleep knowing 2 people lifes were lost that day?

thanks material world! for making saving a life work that cant be done when on break.

i cant help but laugh to keep from utter disgust.
wow. i forgot that people like that existed even in the medical world.

tragic loss.

they need to take that starbucks and shove it deep up their asses...

bastards!.....must have been a union break!,good thing it wasnt one of theyre moms

I heard also the same thing happens in prisons when pregnant inmates go into labor etc. The prison workers on public dime should get prosecuted too.

Unfortunately, we've bred decency out of life in America for so many working people, making it so hardscrabble to serve the corporate capitalists, who get profits at all costs, no matter how inhumane, while ordinary Americans learn to live in a cruel cruel world, looking out for number one, cause nobody else is. This situation reflects years of teaching indifference and selfishness to young people.

That was the rage under Reagan, now more of us are going to suffer because of it.

I bet if she had been white she would be thanking those EMTs for their help and bravery right now. But I'm cynical like that.

Totally wrong. This is bizarre even for NY!

I can see the lawsuit coming.

This is horrible. I dont even know how a person with the medical capabilities walks away from a situation like that. Not one, but two lives.

Then again...they weren't paramedics.

UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE!!!! I've been saying throughout my life that this is a "Hooray for me, & F**K You Society", and this is proof positive! No, I'm not a cynic, or even a pessimist, juss a REAList.

Along with the crap in our race, we also have plenty of gold to balance it out. I have met my fair share of people whom I consider to be solid gold!

So as NOT to be the former, when you see someone who truely needs yer help, be a good samaritan, & "Pay it Forward"!

JUSS AN ORDINARY AVERAGE GUY, jahoosafatz........................

I understand Bloomberg's anger, but maybe some of his billions could put more help on the streets....he seems to think that help is what people do....do what you can to help

I can't help asking if the EMTs were white.

bad karma; bad energy; bad vibes; bad, bad bad

When I was a Respiratory Therapist in a hospital I hardly ever got too finish my lunch without being called. I didn't mind because it was part of the job and it also showed how needed I was. These guys are a disgrace too their field.

Time to kick some E.M.T. ass. them send them home. They should loose all the benafits they acquired during there employment with the city of New York.

Hey guys aren't we missing the real point here?... BRITTANY MURPHY DIED!

Jeez, between this and the cat story, you don't have to wonder why people get afraid to read the news!! Talk about a depressing state of affairs. wow

The worst case scenario for these two schmucks is that they face prison time and get sued by the family of the deceased. The best case scenario is that they get fired and have one hell of a time ever finding employment that pays more than minimum wage afterwards.

Holy balls, these people are emergency medical technicians and they didn't help her because they were on break? That excuse might fly if they were not in uniform and completely off the clock, but break? That's like an ER nurse refusing to help a patient who has been severely wounded in a car accident that just showed up in the ER because he/she is on his/her break and wants to see what'll happen on his/her TV show. Your in the business of saving lives, your goddamn break gets put on hold if something like this happens!

It can't be said whether or not anyone could have saved her, but it is truly shocking that the two EMTs apparently did nothing to help.

I'm at odds. Was she in a fire?

Looks like FDNY's "can do no wrong" since 9/11/01 is FINALLY over. Hopefully NYPD's is too...

so sad for this beautiful lady and heart felt prayers to her family

Fire department work is sought after employment. Replacing them shouldn't be difficult.

wow that is madness of a an indescribable kind i hope the family of this woman is compensated with millions which will not ever come close to repaying the loss of a beloved family member and of a new one yet to be born i hope jail time is in those EMT's future

Duty to ACT. I dont know about N.Y., but every where else they would fry.

These people disgust me, but they should not be prosecuted, this is not a crime, we are a free society and these people have the right to be assholes if they want to be, but they will surely have consequences down the road that stem from this that they never imagined....

they will get what they have coming to them....everybody knows who they are now.

Get with the program mayor. This is America. If you can't afford health care, you die. Health care is a privilege for the rich only.

http://current.com/items/91740078_attorney-hired-by-survivors-of-pregnant-mom-le...

this is another case where I say the two dudes should be dropped off in her neighborhood and let the PEOPLE extract justice...anybody here want to drop their donuts to help the EMT guys as they get the living daylights kicked out of 'em?

"mmmm. so much chocolaty goodness...hey, those two guys need help...but ooh that creamy filling. Just a minute, dudes, someone will help you in a little while."

Wow. I can't believe they would just sit there and not help her.

Unforgivable!

Ughh. I hate when I have to agree with Bloomberg. This really was disgraceful.

Disgusting. Heartbreaking.

"an act of abandonment," ? These two are guilty of manslaughter. They should get prison time.

KSirys something we agree on. This is despicable. I can't believe that coffee is more important than a person's life.

This is some bullshit! Why couldn't they stop and help this young girl? What goes through your mind when people are asking you for help and you turn around and tell them "call 911" and walk away??? WTF!!

This is a tragedy and my condolences to the family!!