Ponce Inlet paramedic admits to accidentally killing some of his patients, report says – WFTV

PONCE INLET, Fla. – There are shocking revelations from a newly surfaced investigation.

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Ponce Inlet fired one of its paramedics after an investigation found he admitted to colleagues that his negligence had led to the deaths of some patients.

The city asked DSK Law to conduct the investigation in 2021.

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The report said investigators were unable to identify the patients who died due to the paramedic's alleged negligence. There is also no information on the number of patients.

The investigation heard that the paramedic himself “concluded” based on reports from a colleague that his actions and level of care contributed to the death of at least one patient.

9 Investigators obtained a copy of the 52-page investigative report in which Ponce Inlet firefighters detailed the paramedic's conversations.

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A firefighter told investigators that the paramedic openly admitted he “made a mistake,” which resulted in the death of a patient. The 2021 report said the paramedic admitted to administering the wrong medication, Lasix, a water pill. The report said the paramedic did not inform the hospital of the error when the patient experienced an adverse reaction.

Another firefighter told investigators that the paramedic admitted to “misreading a patient's heart rhythm” – and that he “applied an incorrect amount of current to the patient.” The report said it “most likely would have stopped.” [the patient’s] Heart.”

The report also mentions how he and a lieutenant violated protocol by administering Narcan nasally to a patient who was overdosing, rather than intravenously, which would have been more effective.

According to the report, none of the alleged negligence was reported to the fire chief or medical director.

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However, the chief told investigators it was strange when he received an email from the paramedic. “Suddenly and without any reasonable justification, he no longer wanted to work as a paramedic.”

He just wanted to work as a firefighter.

The report said the paramedic later told another firefighter that he “voluntarily resigned from his position as a paramedic because of his killing of 'patients.'

The paramedic denied this in the report. He said he gave up his job as a paramedic because of compensation.

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He denied ever expressing to anyone that he had acted negligently in the treatment of a patient.

The report said: “When asked if he had ever commented that the care he provided as a paramedic had resulted in the death of a patient, he replied: “I cannot remember.”

The employee worked as a paramedic with the Ponce Inlet Fire Department from approximately 2012 to December 2018. He remained as a firefighter until 2021, when police fired him following the investigation.

The city and fire chief declined to be interviewed for this story.

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