Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Paramedic Confrontation

[okmedic]

This happened some time on sunday. Apparently the medics were transporting a pt from a rodeo for heat exhaustion and allegedly didn't yield for a trooper on the way to a call. It gets physical towards the end of the video. I'm sure we don't know the whole story, but I think it could have been dealt with in a more professional manner.

http://www.news9.com/Global/story.asp?S=10427244

[Chief1C]

They held them up, for trying to avoid a collision, with a patient in the back? The police officers should be charged with endangering the life of the patient, for holding them up.

[okmedic]

They held them up, for trying to avoid a collision, with a patient in the back? The police officers should be charged with endangering the life of the patient, for holding them up.

Yes there was a pt. in the back and her son who was filming the incident was riding up front with the driver.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Of course there is more to the story but like the comment said in the news story, the OHP will probably be doing the investigation.

We will never see the dash cam footage.

[itku2er]

Of course there is more to the story but like the comment said in the news story, the OHP will probably be doing the investigation.

We will never see the dash cam footage.

Amazing how easy things like that get put away and the public never sees it.

[scubanurse]

I can't believe both sides just acted to unprofessionally blatantly in front of the public. IMHO they deserve whatever punishment/bad press comes their ways after this.

[tom5706]

Having been on both sides of the altercation, both as a Deputy and as an EMT, I believe this was handled poorly. I believe that the police officer acted improperly at the scene. It is not like the driver of the ambulance was going to disappear and not be able to be located. What would have happened if there was a brother officer in the back.

What if the pt. had coded during the altercation and there was nobody in the rig?

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Jeepluv77]

You are probably right everyone that said we'll never see that dash cam. From what I saw on the video the paramedic that they were choking wasn't even out of the truck prior to the camera rolling. Either way, this definitely could have been handled after the patient was safely in the ER. I'm sure you guys heard the screaming. So we have a family that's already terrified in the midst of a medical crisis and now the people entrusted with their safety are fighting on the side of the road? Are you kidding me? I'd also love to hear what the trooper's call was that it was so important. It does, however, bring me to a good point to ask in class tonight as far as what protocol here is concerning right of way between two first responders en route to different calls. We have excellent communications here(wonder if the radios were even thought of in this situation) so I don't really see this happening.

[fireflymedic]

This is sad that there was such a lack of professionalism from both sides. I still haven't figured out why there were telling the ambulance personnel (I'll leave it at that as I don't know cert status lol) that he was arrested ? That was before he started fighting with them - after that fact, yes I could see a reason for arrest. If they didn't directly endanger anyone's life, and the incident passed over, a phone call to the service would have been more appropriate for disciplinary action or if they felt they MUST address allow them to drop off the patient to keep the family and the patient calm and maintain professional attitude, then address it privately with the crew. In most areas I've worked EMS and PD work very closely and well with each other, and it's sad to see it come to this in this situation. Granted we don't and more than likely will never hear the whole story (dash cam may end up on one of those police shows one day - who knows) as there is always two sides, but could certainly have been handled better. A sad day for both sides, just hopefully lessons have been learned from this.

[Arctickat]

to a good point to ask in class tonight as far as what protocol here is concerning right of way between two first responders en route to different calls.

In the province of Saskatchewan the priority is given to Fire Apparatus, Ambulances, then police. Out here, that cop would have been in the wrong. Question is, were they both running L/S? If the EMS unit was not, which for a simple case of heat exhaustion it shouldn't have been, then yes, the medic should have yielded to the cruiser running L/S. Perhaps the cop just didn't realize why the ambulance didn't yield and went off the deep end.

Shrug.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Arctickat