Archive for August 22nd, 2012

Antioch Rescue Squad: 2 members facing discipline

The Daily Herald has a series of articles about the Illinois Department of Public Health investigating and then disciplining members of the Antioch Rescue Squad:

 Two EMTs could lose their licenses amid allegations they abused and mistreated patients and co-workers while working at the Antioch Rescue Squad, state officials confirmed.

The Illinois Department of Public Health officials said they are investigating the conduct of Kyle Shouse and Chris McBrady and will decide if they should ever again work as EMTs or paramedics.

The allegations include putting prescription medication into the food and drinks of other unsuspecting EMTs while working at the Antioch Rescue Squad, and pilfering prescription-only bags of IV solution and infusing themselves or others at the rescue squad without proper medical authorization, state officials confirmed.

It’s unclear whether McBrady and Shouse are still rescue squad employees. But state officials said both worked for the squad when the alleged mistreatment took place after 2008.

According to documents the Daily Herald obtained from the department of public health on Friday, McBrady and Shouse are accused of putting the prescription-only diuretic Lasix into the food and drink of unsuspecting members during shifts at the Antioch Rescue Squad.

Individually, Shouse is accused of reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol and for mistreating patients while working at the rescue squad.

According to the complaint, Shouse is accused of striking a psychiatric patient in the head with a clipboard, yelling at another psychiatric patient, and then unnecessarily restraining a third psychiatric patient.

McBrady was accused by the state of also putting Benadryl into the food and drink of other unsuspecting rescue squad members, beginning treatment of patients without first obtaining written consent, and falsifying patient care reports by claiming other EMTs were present for a patient’s care when there was none.

McBrady is also accused of throwing a patient’s walker, using profanity at a patient, then refusing to take a patient to the hospital who later suffered from an aneurysm.

A third member of the Antioch Rescue Squad, Ethan Bolin, faces a suspension of his license by the state for taking a prescription-only IV solution and ordering another EMT to use it on him. Attempts to reach Bolin regarding the suspension were unsuccessful Monday.

The entire article can be found HERE and a previous article is HERE.

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Joliet debates accepting grant – update

The Herald News has an updated article about the City of Joliet accepting the federal grant for firefighters:

 The Joliet City Council ended a lingering dispute over a $2 million federal grant for firefighters by voting 7-2 Monday to take the money.

The vote came after assurances from city staff that not only would Joliet get eight firefighters paid for by the federal government, but the city would save nearly $2 million that otherwise would have been spent on fire department overtime.

Doubters said those savings could be washed away by a grant requirement that the firefighter force be fully staffed for the two years that Joliet gets the money. That requirement can be waived, but opponents said they were uneasy with the possibility that Joliet would have to pay to replace any firefighters who retire.

Thanas said the city does need to control overtime to balance its budget, and hiring firefighters with federal money is a way to do it. The other option, he said, would be to cut services by not staffing ambulances and closing fire stations.

The city has 201 firefighters now. The new hires will bring the firefighter force up to 209.

The police force, meanwhile, is down 60 positions from its peak number before the recession hit. The decline is due mainly to the number of police officers who took an early retirement incentive.

The entire article can be found HERE.

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Palos Fire Protection District on the site

Another fire department in MABAS Division 19 has been added to the site. The Palos Fire Protection District with two stations in Palos Park has 41 personnel on the roster including 12 who are part-time. They are responsible for a district that covers 15 square miles and includes Palos Park, parts of Palos Heights, Orland Park, and unincorporated Palos Township.

Palos Fire Protection District Engine 6303

Karl Klotz photo

Their fire suppression apparatus consists of three E-ONE engines and a 110-foot E-ONE quint. They run Road Rescue ambulances in addition to having a brush rig and an elliptical tanker from 4-Guys.

Palos Fire Protection District Station 2

Palos FPD Station 2 is at 13010 S. 104th Avenue in Palos Park. Karl Klotz photo

Palos Station 2 is also home to the new Haz Mat unit being shared by MABAS Divisions 19 & 22 which was written about HERE and HERE.

Palos Fire Protection District Tanker 6306

Bill Friedrich photo

Images were submitted by Bill Friedrich, Karl Klotz, Dennis McGuire, Jr., and Larry Shapiro.

 

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