The three fired EMTs who allegedly failed to follow protocol when responding to Tyre Nichols want their jobs back.
The union president representing the former emergency medical technicians claim, “there is no way any member could be truly prepared for a situation that occurred on January 7.”
Robert Long, JaMichael Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker were relieved of their duties on Jan. 30. Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said Long and Sandridge, “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols,” and Whitaker remained in the firetruck when they arrived at the scene The Associated Press reported.
Memphis Fire Fighters Association President Thomas Malone defended the EMTs and laid blame on the Memphis police officers on the scene. Malone claims “there was information withheld by those already on the scene which caused our members to handle things differently than they should have,” in a letter to Memphis City Council members.
The EMT workers first arrived on the scene at 8:41 p.m Nichols was already handcuffed, beaten, and slumped against the squad car. It was during this time Long and Sandridge should have conducted the patient assessment.
Sandridge and Long faced additional criticism from an attorney with the Tennessee Department of Health, according to WATN. Sandridge failed “to administer an IV or monitor Nichols’ vital signs” and both men were accused of “failing to administer high-flow oxygen or offer any other meaningful aid,” Matt Gibbs said.
An ambulance arrived at 8:55 p.m. and Nichols was placed in the emergency vehicle and left for the hospital at 9:08 p.m. Nichols was transported from the scene 27 minutes after Long, Sandridge and Whitaker first arrived on the scene.
“Their patient was in obvious distress. I think that it’s obvious to even a layperson that he was in terrible distress and needed help, and they failed to provide that help…They were his best shot, and they failed to…
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