WOW! I guess the ‘Cadillac’ most expensive ambulance service we just gave a contract to pays their EMT’s so well they have to allegdley steal petty cash from dead people;
While investigating the money’s disappearance, police found $44 in cash in one of the emergency responder’s backpack. Clemens says that was similar to the amount the officer first noticed by the wallet.
Yeah, but is it really a crime to steal from a dead person? Ask James Brown about time he stole shoes from a dead man.
Thumbs up to the police officer who caught the incident. Besides, they don’t have to steal petty cash from people, they already get free lunches.
The EMT, who has not been identified, was employed by Paramedics Plus. Company officials tell KSFY News that he no longer works for the company.
“What this is, this person just made a bad choice,” Clemens said. “It was his decision alone. It was not reflective of the agency he works for.”
Ah, yes it is. What kind of background checks is this company doing? What kind of wages are they paying that they are so desperate they have to take $44 from a dead person? What kind of ethics training are the EMT’s receiving? I think Paramedic’s Plus owes the public an explanation of how this happened.
This makes MMM’s gloating over Paramedics Plus on this month’s Ask the Mayor even more outrageous.
I’m still suspicious how that contract rolled out, especially how nervous Jill Franken got when she had to explain her decision to the council how they were picked.
You also wonder if this person was a former Rural Metro employee, and if so how often this has happened in the past. Remember he ‘got caught’. I guess if you feel a heart attack coming on, best call 911 and put all your valuables in a safe before they arrive.
Dead people can’t press charges. Really sad that someone stole money set aside for her cat food subsistence. What’s happening with citizen morals? Last week a shoe camera upskirt at HyVee, now this.
Despicable. Not sure why the cheap shot on the police was necessary..
Cheap? I’m not cheap. I don’t expect a business who makes their living from the sick and the dying to give me a free lunch.
3 police cars for free lunch at McDonald’s is despicable. In this case, a cop recognized the missing money and identified the offender. That’s commendable. Still, I recall the 2 officers who weren’t reprimanded for making a false ethics complaint against a councilor and the many false arrests. Police should improve upon their reputation before I’ll again respect them.
I’m thinking if you need emergency transit, take Uber or Lyft. They show up in less than 10 minutes and it’s only 10 minutes to the hospital. Then, it’s much cheaper and you’ll not get robbed on the way.
What is more concerning is the focus on profit over patient care.
Back when it was Sioux Falls Ambulance you had 2 full-time paramedics staffing each ambulance. Both could perform advance life saving measures like cardiac drugs, intubation, read EKGs, etc.
By the time Rural Metro left town, they were using 1 Paramedic and 1 EMT. EMT’s can’t do those skills.
If you look at their website, Paramedics Plus is now hiring part-time EMTs and part-time paramedics.
The paramedics won’t get the work hours they need to maintain their skills. Forget about getting robbed, you’ll end up getting killed.
Every city official involved in the “bid” process should be ashamed of themselves for looking at how much money would be coming back into the city coffers and putting that above patient care.
There are more city officials to blame than Jill Franken. There was another department head having phone conversations with Paramedics Plus long before the bid process started.
He was happy to talk at length at how many things he was told their company rep said they would reimburse the city for.