Fake EMTs suspended in MA - “unfair”?
Beginning July 1, more than 200 emergency medical technicians will not be making emergency calls. They’ve been suspended for anywhere from 45 days to nine months for falsely claiming they took certification refresher courses.
The state said it came down hard to send a message and protect public safety, but two EMTs said the move is unfair and dangerous.
Kim is a state emergency technician. She’s been suspended for nine months for allegedly falsifying certification class attendance. She says if she broke the law, she should be punished.
“But a nine-month suspension? I’ve lost my job and my health insurance. I don’t now what I am going to do,” said Kim.
She said the harsh punishment of EMTs is unfair, especially because she believes the refresher courses they’re required to take have no bearing on competence and knowledge.
“The refresher course just repeats everything. We didn’t put you at harm,” Kim said.
Terry Urekew is a part-time paramedic who was not on the penalty list, but she believes the state has done an injustice to her colleagues.
“So if it’s fraud, slap them. Give everyone a $100 fine and community service,” said Urekew. “Don’t take someone’s livelihood away from something that has no impact on whether or not we are better EMTs,” she said.
Top fire and EMS photos of 2011
Polls
Loading ...
Recent Comments
As a former FF/EMT, I can understand her position.
Re-certification for a skill not used daily is one thing; re-certification for skills used daily makes no sense what so ever. If it did, why are doctors, lawyers, judges, etc. required to get re-certified?
It would make more sense to have them re-evaluated to make sure they are performing as required they to sit through a seminar, take a multiple guess test and continue doing improper techniques, because a paper given for attending a re-certification class did nothing to check their proficiency.
BTW - every see a “Doctor” perform CPR?
Most can’t with any degree of correctness. As a former American Red Cross CPR & First Aid instructor, my biggest issues in training were with doctors who could not seem to grasp they needed to learn the proper way.
Most would try to bully and intimidate rather than be shown the proper way.