UCLM Held a Press Conference Condemning Actions of EMTs and Police during Medical Emergency
On Thursday, January 17, 2024, UCLM convened a press conference to condemn the abhorrent behavior of AMR emergency medical technicians and Rochester police officers during a medical emergency that occurred on Nov. 30, 2023.
During this incident, a man who was struggling to breathe was admitted to an ambulance, where he allegedly assaulted an EMT. Police who were called for assistance ordered the man to exit the vehicle and wait outside for another ambulance. The man fell to the sidewalk and lay face down for two minutes before receiving any assistance from the personnel present. The man died two weeks later from undisclosed causes.
After the press conference, a concerned community pastor, connected UCLM President, Dr. Dwight Fowler with two EMT union representatives. One from the Rochester area and the other from Corning, NY. On the following Monday, Dr. Fowler, and two UCLM board members – Rev. Marilyn Cunningham and Evangelist Rose Smith – met with the EMT union representatives as well as two experienced EMTs and the pastor to discuss the incident and subsequent actions. The union reps acknowledged that the EMTs involved in the incident did not de-escalate the situation.
As a result of COVID and decreased staffing, AMR changed its training requirements. Before COVID, applicants were required to have completed EMT programs offered by Monroe and Finger Lakes Community Colleges. The plan moving forward is for the UCLM team to meet with AMR supervisors, along with the union reps to encourage AMR to again require training from the community college programs.
The following coverage of this incident and a related incident occurred after the UCLM press conference:
· WHEC: UCLM leader calls for firing of EMTs, RPD cops after man ordered out of ambulance dies
· D&C: AMR crew on leave after forcing man from ambulance in Rochester
· NEWS10NBC Investigate: Video shows EMT for AMR ambulance company using the N-word on way to call