Here you will find an account of a Lt. in the Phila Fire Dept. who is being unjustly disciplined for exercising his better judgement recently during a medical assignment . As usual there were no ambulances close enough to transport this woman who was having a severe medical emergency, and how the fire dept. administration is handling the investigation and subsuquent disciplinary actions. This member of the dept. has had a spotless career in the fire dept and used his advanced training in making a decision which in the end saved this womans life. Attached you will find a letter that has reached all layers of city government in support of this fire officer's decision. This has been a real tradegy in the way the administration has over reacted to this case. It should be noted that there is NO POLICY in place to prevent &/or restrict the use of fire apparatus to transport such victims to the hospital and in fact has long been a long standing accepted practice when the situation dictates.
Dear Councilman Rizzo,
A great disaster has happened in the Philadelphia Fire Department and it needs immediate resolution for all of us in such a way that it affects not one singular person- rather the lives of so many. I am calling on you sir to help, I am calling on you sir to be by our side as we have so selflessly been by the sides of the entire City of Philadelphia for so long. I am a Paramedic for the Philadelphia Fire Department, I have been assigned to Engine 72 (1127 West Louden Street) on Medic 24 for eight years. Myself, as well as my steady partner have served the Logan/Olney/Feltonville area as well as the entire City of Philadelphia at Engine 72's firehouse alongside of our numerous brother and sister Firefighters with an extraordinary amount of pride. In making such a perfect company, we have seen many members come and go at Engine 72/Medic 24 by means of quitting, transferring to other assignments and sadly in death while serving. To serve in such a capacity in a notoriously difficult job which constantly challenges the mind, body and soul a special person inside must develop. This person, this developing member of a team, must be willing do to so much and sacrifice everything for everybody and infrequently makes even the simplest requests for him/herself. The benefit of this type of character, this member of a team, participating in this type of job earns a very secret reward which is not very well understood by many Mr. Rizzo. The reward is a personal and silent sense of pride, dignity and honor in knowing that you gave another human being a chance to live again. In Philadelphia, for numerous reasons that can and should be discussed at another time- we are facing a crisis with the deployment of Philadelphia Fire Department Ambulances. In short, when the 911 calls come in for a Medic unit to respond they are dispatched on a 1st come/ 1st served basis. Translated simply, if someone calls 1st for something considered “non critical”, a headache is a perfect example- the FCC (Fire Communication Center) will send an ambulance to them sooner than the person who in considered “critical” or “urgent” that suffers from true heart or lung issues which would easily delete their life. This problem, this awkward deployment of resources is very costly to the value of human life, the reason we do what we do. It is a treachery to the vision of the honorable Benjamin Franklin that created this Fire Department, America’s first! Sometimes a decision must be made to preserve life by the men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department and care for the critical immediately, yet never leaving behind the uncritical. On the date 04/12/08, in the evening, on the -A- Platoon shift, working for the Philadelphia Fire Department something very important happened. On this shift, a man made a decision which lead to the preservation of life. On this shift a man had taken command of a situation, he had taken (with the assistance of a great company) a woman into his arms and gave her a new day, a true chance to live, breathe, walk, fight and be with her family again. This man, Lieutenant Joseph Millward of Engine 72, whom I as well as every other field Paramedic and Firefighter see as both a true legend and hero is being scrutinized and penalized by the Philadelphia Fire Department Administration by his actions on that shift. Mr. Rizzo, on that shift I heard all accounts of all events that occurred pertaining to this issue via my portable radio. In my professional opinion, serving eight years in one of America’s busiest Paramedic Units, having responded to an uncountable amount of both critical and non critical calls, I say to you that Lieutenant Millward made the best possible decision under the most horrid of circumstances.
The Circumstances
On that shift, due to an over taxation of our EMS system, Lieutenant Joseph Millward by orders of the FCC was dispatched with his company, Engine 72 ( A Fire Engine, as not to be confused with a Medic Unit) to an address very close to the firehouse. In fact, that call came in as a dispatch as a friend/family member knocked on the door of the firehouse indicating, “Help!!, Please! Someone, come quick!!!!) The entire company of Engine 72 Firefighters, with an EMT, prepared to go into service an assist rapidly, they did exactly that!
Lieutenant Millward, a former PFD Paramedic himself, as well as a United States Military Vet, a very experienced/honored/seasoned Philadelphia Firefighter himself saw on that night what we all fear most. A woman presented to the company, she was determined as critically ill, she deserved her chance and she was graced by the finest company that ever was assembled in the Philadelphia Fire Department- Engine 72, a Special Operations Company- that by definition continually trains and always impresses.
That shift, Lieutenant Millward contacted the FCC via radio and responsibly asked what Paramedic unit is responding to that location. The Paramedic ambulance, Medic #16, was announced and the added information of where they were originating from was provided. Mr. Rizzo, they were coming from the area of Roxborough Hospital, too far sir, too far indeed if this woman was to be afforded the proper consideration of her life and her families tears. Making a decision, as he was promoted to do, he decided to carry her out to the fire truck. He utilized his men to use their EMT skills in perfect focus on this woman. He announced on radio to the FCC to relay a message to the receiving hospital that they have a critically ill person and they are coming to them, requesting the hospital to be prepared to transfer care and also providing the estimated time of arrival in which the patient will be delivered.
I heard this, all of this on my portable radio while I was in care of another situation with my partner. I was so proud, proud of my company, proud of my station, proud of what I do for a living. Most importantly, I was simply elated that my immediate supervisor is Lieutenant Joseph Millward and in truth I am certain that within five seconds of you meeting him, having spoken no words, that you would see this same reflection in him and also feel touched by him.
The words above, well, they are not a story. They are words explaining a real life event, an event which has allowed a woman to live, to seek out her dreams, and hopefully she will go on to be a very inspirational human being. In so doing what we do, Paramedics and Firefighters, we have a sense of community about us and where we do our work. Daily, we speak to families in the community and stand next to them, helping them as they are our mothers, fathers, sons and daughters too. This is a gift to us, a precious gift which can be compared to none other and many have never been able to experience themselves, but I share this with you because I have faith in you because you have extended to me an offer to help simply by assuming the title you carry.
Lieutenant Millward, for reasons nobody in my Philadelphia Fire Department Family can understand is now stripped away from us. He is missing from my station and rumors of disciplinary actions are flowing against him. I tell you this Mr. Rizzo- you will be hard pressed to find any fears that Police, Fire or EMS personnel have which are greater than the loss or mistreatment of one of our brothers or sister members. I am asking you to act, I am begging you to assist us and bring our brother, my Lieutenant back to Engine 72 on the -A- Platoon.
I have searched all Philadelphia Fire Department Directives and Operational Procedures and I can not, we can not find any words or orders that state that in such a situation that Engine trucks can’t transport people in such a crisis. In fact, the Philadelphia Fire Department Engine and Ladder trucks in times past, during snow storms and other horrible weather patterns had no choice but to act in such a way as a standard procedure. His goal, the preservation of life, was attained, his spirit on that call was selfless!!
Sir, I ask you to consider Lieutenant Joseph Millwards options on that case, the only alternative was to wait for the Paramedic unit coming from a great distance while the men of Engine 72 watched the patients life slip away from them. I can’t tell you how distressed we, as a family are about his unfair and unexplained discipline. I can’t see that if the shoe was on the other foot, and it was in your home sir on that night or any of the Fire Department Administrations family that they would have done it any other way. I want you sir, in the most urgent sense of compassion, consideration and respect to understand that we are your brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers out here working for you and your loved ones. We deserve better.
Sincerely,
