PONCE INLET, Fla. — There are shocking revelations out of a newly surfaced investigation.
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Ponce Inlet terminated one of its paramedics after an investigation found he confessed to coworkers that his negligence led to the death of some patients.
The city requested DSK Law conduct the investigation in 2021.
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The report states investigators could not identify patients who died because of the alleged negligence by the paramedic. There’s no word on how many patients either.
The investigation said, based on co-worker’s accounts, the paramedic himself “concluded” his actions and level of care contributed to the death of at least one patient.
9 Investigates obtained a copy of the 52-page investigative report which details account after account from Ponce Inlet firefighters of the paramedic’s conversations.
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One firefighter told investigators that the paramedic openly admitted to having “messed up”, causing the death of a patient. The 2021 report says the paramedic admitted that he administered the wrong drug, Lasix, a water pill. The report said when the patient had an adverse reaction, the paramedic did not inform the hospital of the mistake.
Another firefighter told investigators that the paramedic admitted to “reading a patient’s heart rhythm incorrectly”—and that he “delivered an incorrect amount of electricity to the patient.” The report states it “would have most likely stopped [the patient’s] heart.”
The report also mentions how he and a lieutenant broke protocol by administering Narcan nasally to an overdose patient instead of by IV which would have been more effective.
None of the alleged negligence was reported to the Fire Chief or Medical Director, according to the report.
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However, the Chief told investigators it was odd when he received an email from the paramedic. “Suddenly and without reasonable justification that he no longer desired to serve as a paramedic.”
He only wanted to work as a firefighter.
The report says the paramedic told another firefighter later-- that “due to him having killed ‘patients’ he voluntarily relinquished his paramedic position.”
The paramedic denied that in the report. He said he stepped away from being a paramedic because of compensation.
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He denied he ever expressed to anyone that he was negligent in his treatment of a patient.
The report reading quote “When asked if he ever made comments that the care he provided as a paramedic led to the death of a patient he responded, “Not that I can remember.”
The employee worked as a paramedic at Ponce Inlet Fire Department from roughly 2012-December 2018. He remained as a firefighter until 2021 when the department terminated him after the investigation.
The City and Fire Chief declined to interview for this story.
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