By Bill Carey
SA国际传媒
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio 鈥� Two Springfield Township Fire Department paramedics as well as the fire chief and an assistant chief have all been placed on administrative leave after the paramedics mistakenly declared a patient dead.
On Jan. 2, the paramedics responded to a possible drug overdose. According to a letter sent to residents from Springfield Township Administrator Michael Hampton, the paramedics found a woman 鈥渓ying unresponsive on the couch鈥� with a 鈥渂lue/grayish鈥� skin color with 鈥渁 large, aggressive pit-bull dog鈥� at her side and 鈥渦nwilling to move,鈥� reported.
The paramedics and police officers tried unsuccessfully to lure the dog away. A dog warden later secured the dog 40 minutes later.
鈥淭he paramedics observed that the patient was cold and stiff,鈥� Hampton鈥檚 letter stated. 鈥淭hey found no pulse, which led them to believe she was dead.鈥� The paramedics contacted their supervising physician who walked them through multiple steps to confirm the woman was dead.
The paramedics left and when the coroner鈥檚 staff arrived, they reportedly observed that the patient appeared to be trying to breathe. They then gave the woman multiple doses of naloxone and started performing CPR on her. She was transported to the hospital, 鈥渨here we believe she remains in intensive care,鈥� Hampton stated.
An internal investigation conducted by the Springfield Township Board of Trustees鈥� legal counsel is underway.
[RELATED: ROSC after death: The Lazarus syndrome]