Fight over ambulance leads to fight in Atlantic City....

[Flasurfbum]

So happy that I don't work for AC EMS anymore...

Who gets ambulance sparks confrontation in Atlantic City

By ELAINE ROSE Staff Writer, 609-272-7215

Published: Saturday, May 03, 2008

ATLANTIC CITY - A pedestrian was injured Friday afternoon when he was struck by a car at Dover and Ventnor avenues; bystanders then got into arguments as to whether the pedestrian or a child hurt at play nearby should go into the ambulance called to the scene, police said.

Jacklyn Polynice, 19, of Atlantic City, was crossing the street with a green light at 3:45 p.m., when he was struck by a car driven by Robert Gugliemo, 24, of Margate, who was trying to make a left turn, Sgt. Robert Clarke of the traffic unit said.

Polynice was lying in the road, and Gugliemo and his passengers said they barely touched Polynice and that he was faking his injuries, Clarke said.

As the ambulance arrived, a couple arrived carrying a 9-year-old boy bleeding badly from a cut on his head, Clarke said. The parents said their son ran into a fence while playing tag and took him to the ambulance so the emergency medical technicians could examine him.

Polynice's friends and the parents got into an argument over who deserved the ambulance, and it almost came to blows, Clarke said. About 30 or 40 bystanders got into the fray, with some taking Polynice's side and some taking the child's. About a half-dozen more police officers were called to restore order.

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A second ambulance arrived and the crowd dispersed, Clarke said.

Polynice was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for treatment of a leg injury, Clarke said. The child was also taken to the hospital to have his wound stitched.

Investigating Officer Chris Cavaretta will issue Gugliemo a summons for failure to yield to a pedestrian, Clarke said.

[DwayneEMTP]

It would seem, if they weren't called to the scene, (or were they?) and they didn't have the ability to take them both, ( not sure why that would be) that it would be a simple triage situation, right?

Otherwise, load them both and go...

Besides, I have no sympathy for an adult with an "injured" leg fighting to take an ambulance from a bleeding child. (Oh hell, is my red neck showing? :oops: )

Wait, this just in. I'm thinking that if you're able to argue for your right to an ambulance to the point that you draw a crowd...odds are you didn't need one. I know Dust is going to kick my ass from a customer service point of view...And most likely rightly so, but it feels good to say it so I'll take my beating and say thank you.

My money is on the adult being a wah baby...

Just sayin'....

Dwayne

[Flasurfbum]

Dwayne;

Most of the Car vs Ped MVCs are complete and utter BS. Some one walks into a moving car, takes a dive, and hopes for a payoff. Most are lower class, no job, no hope for income, and are willing to do almost anything. While I got my arse kicked a few times, and had a friend on another truck had a knife pulled on him, there were no riots, at least while I worked there.

Atlantic City is a cesspool that is rapidly circling the drain.

For a large city, they often times have just THREE ambulances available, 4 in the busy summer months, and certain other times, as per the contract with the city.

Gotta love private EMS!! :twisted:

[DwayneEMTP]

While I don't share you feelings that private EMS is the problem...I think we should have private police forces...I can feel your pain.

This was one of those situations that, unless the press simply lied their asses off, a competent medic should have had no real issues, (minus possible crowd control).

Pretty straight forward, though I'm grateful that you posted the story!

Dwayne

[Dustdevil]

Screw the kid. He doesn't need an ambulance. He needs a Kotex for his head, and for his parents to do their job and drive him to the ER.

The pedestrian with the unfortunate girly name needs immobilisation and horizontal transportation, as well as medical assessment to determine his condition.

[paramistress]

In NJ, the ambulance must take the patient that they are dispatched for (the exception would be multi injuries from the same accident, then triage would dictate transport order). And let's face it, just by MOI, the ped vs. car has a higher risk of serious injury, and we have all picked up walking wounded who turned out to be more more seriously injured than they appeared on scene. And I can almost guarentee that the kid is going to end up waiting hours hours in the ED for a plastics doc to come and stitch him up anyway! I have to agree with Dustdevil on this one!

[spenac]

My lands folks, city ambulances are so spoiled. Just load them both. And take anybody else thats on the way. Still plenty of room when both are BS calls. It's not that difficult for one medic to take care of two or more basic patients. I like having multiple patients, it keeps me from getting so bored.

[Flasurfbum]

While I don't share you feelings that private EMS is the problem...I think we should have private police forces...I can feel your pain.

This was one of those situations that, unless the press simply lied their asses off, a competent medic should have had no real issues, (minus possible crowd control).

Pretty straight forward, though I'm grateful that you posted the story!

Dwayne

Dwayne, yes and no. IMO, with crappy wages (10.50 an hour for an EMT to run 10+ calls in 12 hours), and retention of bad providers, coupled with the arrogance of "we are AC EMS, we can do this with no help from anyone else unless we REALLY need it, and the companies desire to turn a profit, and staffing the city, which has over 100,000 citizens, and visitors in it at times with the bare minimum of Ambulances, I think that there could have been a delay in the second ambulance getting there. Of course, with the absolute piece of crap VHF radios that can NOT be heard by another portable a block away, perhaps MedCom didn't hear the request for another one. :roll: :roll:

And chances are, there were no Medics on scene. With only Medic 6, who is liable to get called to anywhere else in the County, and Medic 1 (the AtlantiCare SCTU for ACMC City Div), and the fact any Medic was probably recalled by the BLS crew, the chance that the pt got one of the few level headed, competant people there is slim.

God help NJ EMS.....

[ncmedic309]

I'm wondering if either one of the patients really needed an ambulance - it's just two patients either way. If they both are low priority - transport them both - what difference does it make?

[paramistress]

Transporting 2 unrelated patients (when it's not an MCI situation)? What ever happened to patient privacy?