A Child Makes Radio Call Inside Ambulance

[WAS967 97]

Do we really have nothing better to do than complain about $%& like this? The poor kid was upset, his grandma was in extremis, and maybe the medic had his hands full. Gimme a break. I had a bad call once where my hands were full so I put a brand spanking new member of an ambulance crew on the radio to the hospital to let them know we were coming. She was very upset during the message but got the point across to receiving. Is that any different? <sigh> IF they get anything more than a slap on the wrist it's an insult. <end rant>

http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12153184

Omaha, NE - Only Action 3 News discovers an investigation into an unauthorized radio call that could have a couple of paramedics in trouble.

On Tuesday afternoon our news staff hears a child's voice over police and fire radios, now we track down the boy. A rescue call over emergency radios made by a kid. "Rescue squad number 21 on route to Immanuel code 2," says 11-year-old Joey Roth, recalling the radio transmission.

Roth was giving information to hospital emergency staff. He was in the back of the ambulance with his grandma who was struggling to breathe, that's when Roth says the paramedic handed him the radio. "I told him I was scared and I think out of his kindness he just wanted me to talk on the microphone so I wasn't scared," says Roth.

What may have helped calm the boy's nerves, sent fire personnel scrambling. One hour after the call we see medic 21 leaving the station, but not to rescue somebody. We do some digging and find the crew down at Omaha fire division headquarters. Also spotted downtown was their boss' truck.

We've confirmed the child's radio call launched an internal investigation. "If I would've known that I wouldn't have done it ." Joey Roth feels badly for the guys who let him make the radio call, now it's the fire chief's call whether to take action.

This is not a crime, instead a personnel issue. The 911 director classifies it as an unauthorized emergency transmission. As for Joey's grandma, they're still running tests.

[bfxfd 8]

Do we really have nothing better to do than complain about $%& like this? The poor kid was upset, his grandma was in extremis, and maybe the medic had his hands full. Gimme a break. I had a bad call once where my hands were full so I put a brand spanking new member of an ambulance crew on the radio to the hospital to let them know we were coming. She was very upset during the message but got the point across to receiving. Is that any different? <sigh> IF they get anything more than a slap on the wrist it's an insult. <end rant>

http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12153184

Come on give me, and the paramedics, a break. What they did may not be protocol but in my opinion it didnt harm anybody and it kept the kid calm in a stressful situation. Im not saying they should do it again but to pursue these guys like they are criminals is just wrong.

[pcvac7516 2]

I agree with the other guys. I dont see a problem with what the child did. Granted, this isn't something that happens every day but come on, leave the child and the department alone. The medic was tied up trying to save the childs grandmother and didnt have time to talk so he instructed the kid what to do and how to do it. Maybe this will lead the kid to a possible career in EMS. They are just trying to make more trouble.

[chris 18]

If the medic asked the kid to do this, then it wasn't unauthorized..

[PFDRes47cue 653]

What is the big deal!?! The kid was supervised and told what to say by the paramedic. People will try to make a story out of anything. Hey news channels how about MARCH MADNESS!!!!

[Medic442 15]

Well that was it.... The news crew had nothing better to do. On the report they said that they heard it come over the sanner. They reported it to them selfs and then ratted on the crew to cause trouble.

What a group of jerks. My best wishes to the crew, the patient, & GREAT JOB to the young man that made the radio call. I hope they offer him a job as a dispatcher.

[citystation1848 15]

Did he get the message across to the hospital? Yes. End of story. Must be a slow news day.

Edited March 18, 2010 by citystation1848

[PEMO3 523]

Maybe the should investigate the reporter. It appears he had a first grader write his story for him.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Yet another example of how to take what could have been a positive story and having the press morph it into something that it is ridiculous and even worse that management didn't stand behind their personnel and are even entertaining it. This to me is a positive public interaction and that makes us what used to be very respected and highly regarded persons by society. Are we not suppose to try to make something that could be a bad experience into something a little lighter for anyone we deal with? I would have no problem with allowing a kid (if he were to actually be in the rear of the bus with me as I would have put him in the front seat if it was free, but that's another point) to make the transmission if it took the anxiety of the situation off of him/her just a bit. Some of us use to carry stickers that were fire department badges to give to kids and ask them if they'd like to be a firefighter and help us with whatever the call would be and be part of the team. The kids loved it, it helped us on medical calls if it were for them or a family member and often the families loved it and would give compliments for us doing so. Give me a break already with all this BS. If that was bad then lets ban firehouse visits by the public as well.

[PEMO3 523]

I agree 100% with you. I had always found that when you got the family involved even if it was carrying equipment with you to the bus it made them feel useful, took some of the stress out of the situation, put the crew in a positive light with the family and got them out of your hair while you did your job. I always prescribed to the thinking " a busy family member is a family member that does not get in the way." Lets face it that is why they used to have expecting fathers go boil water during home deliveries, it kept them busy, made them feel useful and got them out of the way. Lets face it scandal sells papers.

[BKeane 0]

Did he get the message across to the hospital? Yes. End of story. Must be a slow news day.

Its always a slow news day in nebraska, probably the biggest news story since last years corn crop numbers.