An animal from the Salisbury Zoo informed me that the female Volunteer Firefighter went out on a medical rescue call recently and was exposed to Hepatitis B.
She filed the proper paperwork when she returned to the Station and the Fire Chief and Asst. Chief went off on her because she requested the standard medical attention anyone exposed to Hepatitis B would expect.
It turns out they allegedly told her they were NOT going to pay for all the medical attention as it would cost the Fire Department around $10,000.00 a week. Allegedly they were trying to intimidate her away from the medical treatment, even though it's a Workers Compensation Claim.
It also turns out the guy they were rescuing CAME BACK POSITIVE FOR HEPATITIS B! So what does this message say to anyone wanting to volunteer for the Salisbury Fire Department?
Does someone WITH A NAME want to tell me my story is wrong??????
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
"An animal from the Salisbury Zoo informed me that the female Volunteer Firefighter went out on a medical rescue call recently and was exposed to Hepatitis B."
I hope it wasn't that deer that told you!! :)
All firefighters are vaccinated against Hepatitis B.
I was giving the impression it was an active HIV exposure and the administration has called an chewed her out a few times instead of supporting this person. The exposure protocols were not properly followed and this person is catching some serious greif.
As a volunteer seeing the grief this vollies is getting Im opting not to go on medical assist calls. I dont want to chance an exposure just to go through the bs going on now.
I hope she gets a really good lawyer.
thats workmans comp period.how the feck they deney her medixal care volie or nor.she was serving salisbury thru the fire dept. i hope one of them bastards get it.
Hep B vaccinations are routinely provided to EMS personnel for free. Did this person not take advantage of this?
I'm suprised this didn't get to you sooner Joe. They have been really nasty too her.
The young lady involved received the standard post incident treatment that all SFD members get. The patients had worse than what you have stated but thats a private medical matter. The FF received a light scratch from the patients toe nail as it brushed her arm. This is not considered close to an exposure by experienced medical personnel. The Medical supervisors of the SFD had met with the FF and made her aware of her options and real life scenarios that might pop up. This is blown way out of proportion. This happens everyday in the medical field and there are mandated guidelines that the SFD has to follow after such an incident. From my first hand observations, that is being done.
Not giving you a name, but you are RIGHT! I have a family member that is a volunteer for station 2 and the same thing happened to him. He went to some kind of excersie/practice on isabella and got injured. They made him go to the hospital and never paid the bill. He kept taking the bills in to the station (even after they went to collections). They never got paid!!! He ended up having to pay the bills to save his credit!!!
Bill Gordy and David See are not going to use the vollies money to pay for things they do not want. They want fire trucks and the vollies better pay for them.
Hey Jet Black, would you care to recant your story before I post what actually happened? I am a very close, personal friend of the young lady in question, and the treatment she received is nauseating at best. Granted there are two sides to every story, but the story she tells me is not very enlightening of the attitudes of the administration and operations level staff at the SFD.
Oh, and just so that you know, I have been a career firefighter in another jurisdiction for over 10 years and a volunteer for 20. I know how things like this are supposed to work, and it certainly IS NOT the manner in which she was treated.
Hey jet black, one other thing....Would you care to confirm or deny that you broke HIPAA regulations TWICE, once by discussing this incident with the young lady's mother without her prior permission, and twice by discussing this incident (and her personal health with her over the telephone) with several other unknown persons in the same room, who were lauging and making mockery of the situation???
"The medical supervisor has meant with her and made her aware of her options...." and has given her greif over this from the way Ive heard the story. Another volunteer at station 2 had to pay the copay to get her some meds because the dept did not want to do it?? Jet Black are you trying to run damage control for the department. If not you should be.
If this was a "normal" issue then why is there a "meeting" with administrative people about this tommorrow?? They dont always have "meetings" when there is an exposure. The person involved is being shit upon by the dept and should not be.
there is a rumor going around the salisbury fire department that a certain individual who just got off of probation for the umpteenth time is going to get appointed to a volunteer lieutenants position. is there any rumor to that and who's son is it?
If or when you go to a doctor or hospital it is wise to tell them right off the bat that it was a job related injury and they will call your employer to verify if I am correct. Have witnesses even better.
Never tell the employer you will go threw your own healthcare plan, just to save the hassle. Don't go there or it gives them the ammo to ask "Why did the person not make the claim as soon as they are injured?" They are responsible and should pay 100% of everything.
Where I work you practically have to fill out an incident report on a broken finger nail.
hmmmmm Broken HIPPA regulations spell a real nice lawsuit.
about the HIPPA thing, yeah, it's a nice lawsuit. $10,000 per incident. I count 2= $20,000. Thats federal law and fact.
A TOENAIL scratch did it?Gross-someone needs to cut them nails.
Anonymous said...
Hey jet black, one other thing....Would you care to confirm or deny that you broke HIPAA regulations TWICE, once by discussing this incident with the young lady's mother without her prior permission, and twice by discussing this incident (and her personal health with her over the telephone) with several other unknown persons in the same room, who were lauging and making mockery of the situation???
6:23 PM
Who is Jet Black... please tell us or at least give us the initials.
It's a real shame that this FF has to go through such BS from the Fire Dept. You would think this is one employer who would go out of their way to get her treatment.
As for the HIPPA thing I have a question. My godson was killed in an accident over a year ago. One of the VFF was on the scene first. He has told graphic details of what he saw, etc. When it got back to me I got upset. There are some things in life that we don't need to know. I asked about the HIPPA rule pertaining to the fire department people. I was told that they all talk so this wasn't anything unusual.
This man has lost his license several times due to drunk driving. He's also one of those who has set up his vehicle with lights on top, etc. The laws don't pertain to him because as he says "I'm a FF". Is this right?
"The FF received a light scratch from the patients toe nail as it brushed her arm. This is not considered close to an exposure by experienced medical personnel."
So if there was blood on her then that would make it an exposure.
They tell us when you have an exposure to document it. She followed procedure. She chose certian options and is now getting hassled for her choice. If this is the way it is going to be then privatize the EMS system as others have and let Heart to Heart or Life Star run EMS in the city.
Anonymous said...
"The FF received a light scratch from the patients toe nail as it brushed her arm. This is not considered close to an exposure by experienced medical personnel."
So if there was blood on her then that would make it an exposure.
They tell us when you have an exposure to document it. She followed procedure. She chose certian options and is now getting hassled for her choice. If this is the way it is going to be then privatize the EMS system as others have and let Heart to Heart or Life Star run EMS in the city.
9:37 PM
This is obviously a post from a wannabe ambulance driver that works for one of the private body haulers that can't get a real job in EMS. The issue is not with privatizing EMS, the issue is with the leaders in the city and the fire department. Maybe the EMS Division needs to be separated from the fire department and let the ambulances run on EMS calls and the fire trucks run on fire calls. I would be there would be a massive savings to the city coffers.
In my opinion the issue is that none of you people gave a name like Joe asked. I dont beleive any of you. At least make one up other than being anon.
And stick with that name so we can follow posts.
All you're going to get is he said / she said B.S. on this one. You'll never get anyone to sign their name beacause it would be a HIPPA violation to discuss this case in detail.
So are you saying that if you were deposed to testify about who may be saying these things, you'd lie and say it wasn't you?
People arent leaving their names for they still have to volunteer and work at the fire department and do not want to get hassled as this person involved is.
I do agree with creating a name so the readers will know who is saying what that way you can follow who is talking to who.
Joe,
You have been quiet on this.
What are your thoughts on it?
Post a Comment