Comments on: Crisis Communications in Pittsburgh over lack of EMS response http://thefirepio.com/2010/02/17/crisis-communications-in-pittsburgh-over-lack-of-ems-response/ Information for today's Public Information Officer Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:01:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susanna http://thefirepio.com/2010/02/17/crisis-communications-in-pittsburgh-over-lack-of-ems-response/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Susanna Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:36:30 +0000 http://thefirepio.com/?p=266#comment-109 I am a city of pittsburgh paramedic. Make no mistake, we have been thrown under the wheels of the bus by HUSS. He has the COMPLETE investigation, report in full. He stands behind what he says, and will not retract and/or apologize. What you won't hear is that he was M.I.A. the weekend that over 20 inches of snow fell, and plows were not available to help EMS. You also won't hear that ALL OF OUR CREWS did in fact "get out of the damn truck" and dig themselves out time and time again, all working 16, 20, 24 hour shifts, stuck in the cold, stuck for over 8 hours in some cases. WHERE WAS THE EMERGENCY PLAN? HE'S THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, WHERE WAS THE PLAN MR. HUSS? WHERE WERE YOU?!?!? You won't hear him tell you how the entire neighborhood was IN COMPLETE Darkness, in almost waist high snow, with wires down and trees everywhere. Scene safety? That's the first thing, we, as paramedics, learn. If the scene isn't safe, you don't go. Mr. Huss has ZERO idea what the hell he is talking about, but shift the attention away of his absenteeism and FAILURE to plan for this storm...shift it and make a man dying his golden opportunity to take the heat off his sorry a$$! They kick us, and then kick us some more when we're down.... The article most recently reported that the fire truck, first responders, got to the home 2 minutes...what it won't tell you is that that fire house is less than 2 blocks away, the road was plowed when they got the call...so in all reality, it took them 4 days and 2 minutes! I work side by side with the firemen. I have no beef with them other than the fact that we are now looking at a HOSTILE TAKEOVER by PBF (let's call it like it is, it's NOT a merger, anyone that has taken a few business management classes knows the difference). I say step up boys and girls, grab a hold of the stair chair, have a patient crap all over you, and then do it everyday, again and again....then show me that being a paramedic is something you really want to do. I am a paramedic, and it's hard enough, but having our own leaders (absent and in the shadows) discount everything we worked hard for that weekend, it's like a slap in the face. I am a city of pittsburgh paramedic. Make no mistake, we have been thrown under the wheels of the bus by HUSS. He has the COMPLETE investigation, report in full. He stands behind what he says, and will not retract and/or apologize. What you won’t hear is that he was M.I.A. the weekend that over 20 inches of snow fell, and plows were not available to help EMS. You also won’t hear that ALL OF OUR CREWS did in fact “get out of the damn truck” and dig themselves out time and time again, all working 16, 20, 24 hour shifts, stuck in the cold, stuck for over 8 hours in some cases. WHERE WAS THE EMERGENCY PLAN? HE’S THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, WHERE WAS THE PLAN MR. HUSS? WHERE WERE YOU?!?!?
You won’t hear him tell you how the entire neighborhood was IN COMPLETE Darkness, in almost waist high snow, with wires down and trees everywhere. Scene safety? That’s the first thing, we, as paramedics, learn. If the scene isn’t safe, you don’t go. Mr. Huss has ZERO idea what the hell he is talking about, but shift the attention away of his absenteeism and FAILURE to plan for this storm…shift it and make a man dying his golden opportunity to take the heat off his sorry a$$!

They kick us, and then kick us some more when we’re down…. The article most recently reported that the fire truck, first responders, got to the home 2 minutes…what it won’t tell you is that that fire house is less than 2 blocks away, the road was plowed when they got the call…so in all reality, it took them 4 days and 2 minutes!

I work side by side with the firemen. I have no beef with them other than the fact that we are now looking at a HOSTILE TAKEOVER by PBF (let’s call it like it is, it’s NOT a merger, anyone that has taken a few business management classes knows the difference). I say step up boys and girls, grab a hold of the stair chair, have a patient crap all over you, and then do it everyday, again and again….then show me that being a paramedic is something you really want to do. I am a paramedic, and it’s hard enough, but having our own leaders (absent and in the shadows) discount everything we worked hard for that weekend, it’s like a slap in the face.

]]> By: Danny Miller http://thefirepio.com/2010/02/17/crisis-communications-in-pittsburgh-over-lack-of-ems-response/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Danny Miller Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:24:08 +0000 http://thefirepio.com/?p=266#comment-102 Please review all of Mr. Huss’ remarks in his press conference. He verbally crucified the paramedics on their decisions TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE A FULL REVIEW WAS COMPLETED. His remarks (per AP) included "We failed this person", "... You get out of that damn truck and you walk to the residence," Huss said. "That's what needed to happen. We could have carried him out." The AP also paraphrased that “…Regardless of how deep the snow was, Huss said it was unacceptable that paramedics didn't walk to help Mitchell. If they had, Huss believes Mitchell may have survived”. He has opened the city and medics to liability and horrible PR by publically drawing a correlation to the death and the crews actions. Medics are sure to see this as an unacceptable breech in trust and confidence by upper administration. I have yet to see any Department policy discussed in this matter, only opinions. I teach EMS Management and I’ll use this event and the remarks by Mr. Huff and the Mayor as glaring examples of WHAT NOT TO DO and WHAT NOT TO SAY. Please review all of Mr. Huss’ remarks in his press conference. He verbally crucified the paramedics on their decisions TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE A FULL REVIEW WAS COMPLETED. His remarks (per AP) included “We failed this person”, “… You get out of that damn truck and you walk to the residence,” Huss said. “That’s what needed to happen. We could have carried him out.” The AP also paraphrased that “…Regardless of how deep the snow was, Huss said it was unacceptable that paramedics didn’t walk to help Mitchell. If they had, Huss believes Mitchell may have survived”.
He has opened the city and medics to liability and horrible PR by publically drawing a correlation to the death and the crews actions. Medics are sure to see this as an unacceptable breech in trust and confidence by upper administration.
I have yet to see any Department policy discussed in this matter, only opinions. I teach EMS Management and I’ll use this event and the remarks by Mr. Huff and the Mayor as glaring examples of WHAT NOT TO DO and WHAT NOT TO SAY.

]]> By: totwtytr http://thefirepio.com/2010/02/17/crisis-communications-in-pittsburgh-over-lack-of-ems-response/comment-page-1/#comment-68 totwtytr Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:02:27 +0000 http://thefirepio.com/?p=266#comment-68 It appears that in Pittsburgh at least, #8 is "Throw the crew under the bus (or ambulance) to appease the media." The facts can sort themselves out after the crew is disciplined. Which of course will involve the union and arbitration. Act in haste, make whole at leisure is the take home message here. Funny how no one in the media seems to be interested in the fact that Huss was formerly a fire chief and might have something other than better patient care on his agenda. It appears that in Pittsburgh at least, #8 is “Throw the crew under the bus (or ambulance) to appease the media.” The facts can sort themselves out after the crew is disciplined. Which of course will involve the union and arbitration. Act in haste, make whole at leisure is the take home message here.

Funny how no one in the media seems to be interested in the fact that Huss was formerly a fire chief and might have something other than better patient care on his agenda.

]]> By: Jeff Bressler http://thefirepio.com/2010/02/17/crisis-communications-in-pittsburgh-over-lack-of-ems-response/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Jeff Bressler Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:07:07 +0000 http://thefirepio.com/?p=266#comment-53 From Lev Turner via Linkedin Jeff, Good take on governmental response. Thanks for your blog, a lot of neat content. In crisis PR I believe that crafting a three-part message is critical. The first message needs to be an expression of sincere concern for those affected. After that, you need to demonstrate that you are taking action to determine what happened and how it happened, and what you are going to do to get to the bottom of it. Finally, explain what measures you’re taking to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again. From Lev Turner via Linkedin

Jeff,

Good take on governmental response. Thanks for your blog, a lot of neat content.

In crisis PR I believe that crafting a three-part message is critical.

The first message needs to be an expression of sincere concern for those affected. After that, you need to demonstrate that you are taking action to determine what happened and how it happened, and what you are going to do to get to the bottom of it. Finally, explain what measures you’re taking to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

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