FDNY*EMS Gone Wild

[Guest]

NY Post May 6, 2007:

MEDICS' XXX OUTRAGE

By SUSAN EDELMAN, GINGER ADAMS OTIS and JAMES FANELLI

May 6, 2007 -- They were supposed to be saving lives, not mocking them.

Two medics made an outrageous 50-minute tape on the job that shows their crude interactions with hookers and bums - and a nasty running commentary making fun of patients, neighborhoods and the FDNY, The Post has learned.

The pair was forced to resign last week, but the public had no idea just how badly they betrayed their badges.

The footage included:

* A shocking sequence in which a prostitute bares her breasts.

* A nasty prank in which a medic taps a drunk on the shoulder before he tips over.

* A mean-spirited verbal poke at a homeless woman frequently picked up for public drunkenness.

* A medic - one of the amateur filmmakers - asleep in the cab of the ambulance in broad daylight. He's then shaken awake by the other medic as a supervisor approaches.

* An intoxicated couple in their home filmed during an emergency call.

The X-rated tape, spliced together and depicting patients and street people, some of whom were apparently unaware they were being filmed, is described as a crude mix of "Girls Gone Wild" - the risqué Joe Francis films of co-eds flashing their breasts - and Don Imus-style ridicule.

"EMTs Gone Wild," one insider dubbed the disgusting display.

When the raunchy tape surfaced recently, it led to the swift resignations of emergency medical technicians David Campbell, 39, and Kevin Edell, 40, who "videotaped their patients while on duty," the FDNY said.

The lewd tape apparently was shared with friends and colleagues as entertainment.

"They played it for a load of laughs, but it wasn't a joke once it went high up," an FDNY insider said.

The tape, which was produced several years ago, blew up in the EMTs' faces when an unknown snitch decided to expose it.

Mystery envelopes with no return address were mailed to numerous FDNY chiefs and commanders at the same time - each one getting a copy of the same DVD and an anonymous letter. It sent shock waves through the department's highest ranks.

Recipients included FDNY Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, Emergency Medical Service Chief John Peruggia, and the FDNY's Bureau of Investigations and Trials.

Investigators immediately summoned Campbell and Edell to headquarters.

After consulting a lawyer provided by their union, the two quit on the spot.

The FDNY said they did so "under threat of termination."

In a brief press release, the FDNY revealed only that Campbell - an instructor at the department's academy on Randalls Island - and Edell had violated a department rule against photographing or recording patients without department permission.

An FDNY spokesman declined to describe the footage, calling it "inappropriate."

But sources with knowledge of the tape described it as horribly offensive and embarrassing.

A supervisor is seen and heard on the tape, but it's unclear whether he was knowingly participating, a high-ranking source said.

That supervisor left the department about two years ago.

It's also unclear how the EMTs got away with the filming at the time. Some supervisors work in the field overseeing ambulance runs, but too few to go around, a union official griped Friday.

"We do not have enough supervision in the field," said Tom Eppinger, president of the Uniformed EMS Officers Union.

Campbell and Edell allegedly made the tape when they were partners stationed out of the EMS Battalion 43 based in a garage next to Coney Island Hospital.

The station serves southern Brooklyn, including Gravesend, Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Marine Park, and parts of Bensonhurst. Ambulances take patients to several hospitals in the area.

Some EMT workers refer to the area that the duo usually patrolled - near Astroland Park in Coney Island - as the "the pit" or "armpit" of Brooklyn.

Why the tape surfaced recently is unclear, but sources speculate that someone with a grudge against one of the EMTs ratted on him.

The allegations shocked those who knew the EMTs. Chief Donovan Wright, head of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department in Long Island, where Campbell serves as a volunteer, said: "He's a stand-up guy. And all 85 guys in the firehouse would say the same thing."

Campbell had worked for the department for 17 years, Edell for 14 years.

But they will not collect their pensions, said FDNY spokesman Frank Gribbon.

Both Campbell, who is single and lives in Cedarhurst, and Edell, who lives in Staten Island with his wife and kids, were unavailable for comment last week.

Both EMTs were well regarded. On FDNY EMS "Medal Day" in 2005, Campbell was among those honored for a "pre-hospital save," meaning he helped resuscitate a patient in cardiac arrest.

"You've got to be a dumb a** to do something like this," one EMT said. "They violated the public trust and humiliated the people who rely on us to protect and serve them. It's absolutely awful."

Additional reporting by Michael Scholl

susan.edelman@nypost.com

Unreality show

A videotape made on the job by two New York City EMTs who resigned in disgrace last month is said to include the following scenes:

- An intoxicated couple taped at home during an emergency call

- A prostitute lifting her top

- A drunk who loses his balance after mischieviously being tapped on the shoulder

- An intoxicated homeless woman

- Running derogatory comments about different neighborhoods

- A medic asleep in the cab of an ambulance in broad daylight, who is later shaken awake as a supervisor approaches

- EMT personnel mocking their department and their jobs

[Danger 160]

I almost spit out my coffee at the Deli when I saw the big headline "EMTs GONE WILD!!" Things aren't the way they used to be, you just can't get away with this kind of stuff anymore. A black eye for a field that already gets no respect.

[ems-buff 81]

I want a copy just to laugh

[Remember585 815]

I read that article, with that said....

IS IT ON YOUTUBE YET?!

[Guest]

Can't find it online...anyone have the link???

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Guess they should have read this first:

http://emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=200&hl=

Edited May 7, 2007 by xfirefighter484x

[mlfcemt093 0]

I don't find it the least bit funny........

[Guest]

I don't find it the least bit funny........

←

x2 on that bro. Definitely not laughing about this one. There is a time and place for field humor, thats in the station or in the ambulance when NO ONE IS AROUND. In a career that already gets the short end of the stick, i have zero tolerance for this sort of crap. It's bad enough some people we work with already consider us skells, this just reinforces that crap. For anyone idiotic enough to seek this out and look to proliferate it - consider yourself PART OF THE PROBLEM!

Edited May 7, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[64FFMJK 21]

Frist off let me say that I am glad that the two people in question resigned, and if you ask me they should be striped of their certification by NYSDOH.

But who is worse the crew for making the tape or the person that leaked it to the press. I don't have a problem with turning it over to FDNY managment but some one had to leak this to the Post. so who is the worst person in your eyes the crew or the person that called the press to start a new round of speculation and scrutiny for all the hard working and dedicated EMS workers that are underapreciated by every one that they serve.

[Guest]

Frist off let me say that I am glad that the two people in question resigned, and if you ask me they should be striped of their certification by NYSDOH.

But who is worse the crew for making the tape or the person that leaked it to the press.  I don't have a problem with turning it over to FDNY managment but some one had to leak this to the Post.  so who is the worst person in your eyes the crew or the person that called the press to start a new round of speculation and scrutiny for all the hard working and dedicated EMS workers that are underapreciated by every one that they serve.

←

While their actions disgust me, as i think is evident in my above post, i don't think this merit's the revocation of their card. There are alot of people out there who are just not up to snuff in terms of skill set, ability and knowledge and its those who need to have their card pulled. Being a complete jackass at work, just like personality, does not reflect ones ability to be a prudent and competent prehospital care provider.

110% of the blame rests at the feet of the paramedics in question, no question about that. And i do also agree that this should have been dealt with "in house." The leaker, whoever it was, probably had some ulterior motive. If anything hes just a sleeze, but i wouldn't say hes at "more fault" than those who actually shot the video.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Idiots

[irishfire2491 24]

ANOTHER BLACK EYE

[helicopper 1,050]

While their actions disgust me, as i think is evident in my above post, i don't think this merit's the revocation of their card. There are alot of people out there who are just not up to snuff in terms of skill set, ability and knowledge and its those who need to have their card pulled. Being a complete jackass at work, just like personality, does not reflect ones ability to be a prudent and competent prehospital care provider.

←

Ditto, ditto, ditto, to all the previous posts!

As for revoking their certifications, I think they did commit acts worthy of stripping them of their certification. EMS is all about judgment and prudence and these two morons proved that they lack both. I think the videotaping of patients is unethical and that too warrants their removal from the system. Unfortunatetly, in a cursory review of Part 800, I find nothing there about this type of behavior so they're probably just fine.

Oh well, soon they'll be working in another system and responding to your calls too! Lucky us.

[Guest]

Ditto, ditto, ditto, to all the previous posts!

As for revoking their certifications, I think they did commit acts worthy of stripping them of their certification.  EMS is all about judgment and prudence and these two morons proved that they lack both.  I think the videotaping of patients is unethical and that too warrants their removal from the system.  Unfortunatetly, in a cursory review of Part 800, I find nothing there about this type of behavior so they're probably just fine. 

Oh well, soon they'll be working in another system and responding to your calls too!  Lucky us.

←

Thats basically what i was trying to get at, thanks Chris.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Come on...all of you didn't chuckle just a bit? I know I did and you know why? Because I'm not stupid enough to do what they did. Mutts. We've all done what they did on a personal level with co-workers, partners etc. Its a form of stress relief...but those dumb asses should have kept it to themselves.

[Guest]

Come on...all of you didn't chuckle just a bit?  I know I did and you know why?  Because I'm not stupid enough to do what they did.  Mutts.  We've all done what they did on a personal level with co-workers, partners etc.  Its a form of stress relief...but those dumb asses should have kept it to themselves.

←

So it's okay to mock and video tape patients as long as it's kept "in house"? I disagree.

[SpartanML 0]

So it's okay to mock and video tape patients as long as it's kept "in house"? I disagree.

←

No, I don't believe thats what he was getting at all. He was talking about when we sometime say things to each other in the back of the bus after a call.. what it's about is not to be discussed here of course but you always get that one patient that just makes you chuckle. Working those long calls can be draining a little chuckling never hurts. Bottom line however is what they did was wrong... keep it verbal and for God sake's keep it in the rig.

[sr71 1]

No, I don't believe thats what he was getting at all. He was talking about when we sometime say things to each other in the back of the bus after a call.. what it's about is not to be discussed here of course but you always get that one patient that just makes you chuckle. Working those long calls can be draining a little chuckling never hurts. Bottom line however is what they did was wrong... keep it verbal and for God sake's keep it in the rig.

←

i think its in-moral and wrong

[SpartanML 0]

i think its in-moral and wrong

←

Your darn right it is but I am only defending his point.

[Guest]

No, I don't believe thats what he was getting at all. He was talking about when we sometime say things to each other in the back of the bus after a call.. what it's about is not to be discussed here of course but you always get that one patient that just makes you chuckle. Working those long calls can be draining a little chuckling never hurts. Bottom line however is what they did was wrong... keep it verbal and for God sake's keep it in the rig.

←

Trust me, he knows that...having worked with him, he maintains a high level of professionalism and doesn't really tolerate that kinda crap. The degree to which you joke or don't joke really tends on who your partner is and the circumstances.

[Guest]

What a f*ckin' disgrace, they don't have any right being in emergency services. Charges should be pressed...sounds like many aspects of HIPAA were violated. F*ckin’ Losers

[SpartanML 0]

Trust me, he knows that...having worked with him, he maintains a high level of professionalism and doesn't really tolerate that kinda crap. The degree to which you joke or don't joke really tends on who your partner is and the circumstances.

←

I know that he knows that, hes a veteran of the service, I was just reinforcing what he said after someone disputed it.

[Guest]

I know that he knows that, hes a veteran of the service, I was just reinforcing what he said after someone disputed it.

←

I was speaking on behalf of Clutch...

[mlfcemt093 0]

I really enjoy the fact that fdny ems is in contract talks and then this bullsh* hits the front page, looks fantastic on our part trying to get 12 % or more hazard pay and the fact that uniformed status is still in the courts $%^&*() awesome!!!!

Note my sarcasm!!!

Just makes all ems look bad not only FDNY EMS

[64FFMJK 21]

What a f*ckin' disgrace, they don't have any right being in emergency services.  Charges should be pressed...sounds like many aspects of HIPAA were violated.  F*ckin’ Losers

←

And this is why I feel that they should be striped of certification they violated HIPPA as well as several NYS penal laws. And article 800 does take violations of HIPPA and NYS law as reasons for revocation of certification. I hate to say it but string up a few idiots for the public to see that the will be severly punished and it might actuly make the EMS system look beter not worse.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

First...thanks to whomever stood up for my point, I appreciate it, I'm sure most of you know I can handle myself.

Second...did my post say anywhere that I condone the video taping of patients? All I said was they should have kept it in house. If your going to do something stupid in the family...keep it in the family. What if they just documented some calls they were on and that was it? Would that be a problem other then breaking department regs for not gaining permission? Perhaps we should have all the TLC "Paramedics" episodes destroyed, there were some pretty stupid actions by both patients and some medics on that show. You can pretty much bet that anyone under my supervision at any call fire or ems wouldn't be taking such action. Wouldn't be the first time I would have sent a camera airborne.

Thirdly...there was no HIPAA violation and yet again that term is thrown around inappropriately. There is patient confidentiality which that could be considered a breech of to a certain degree. Then there is confidentiality breeches concerning HIPAA rules and regs which unless they transferred it across and electronic dissemination...wouldn't be. A violation of a right of privacy is just that a violation of right of privacy.

[Oswegowind 17]

i think its in-moral and wrong

←

First of all what is IN-MORAL???? try immoral...secondly, I am sure they are not the first crew to ever videotape or take pictures of patients. If it were used for training purposes, no one would have a problem with it. My problem is with the #sshole that sent a copy in anonymously to all these people...talk about a grudge...this person is worse to the system than those who filmed the video! This is the person who would go out of their way to screw you into losing your job!!!! Everyone makes mistakes, but the person who released these videos was out for BLOOD! and I am sure this was not the first time nor the last time they will stab a fellow MOS in the back over a grudge!!!! If they killed someone that would be different...but this is a stressful career and they were probably just looking for a way to blow off some steam...

[Guest]

First of all what is IN-MORAL????  try immoral...secondly, I am sure they are not the first crew to ever videotape or take pictures of patients.  If it were used for training purposes, no one would have a problem with it.  My problem is with the #sshole that sent a copy in anonymously to all these people...talk about a grudge...this person is worse to the system than those who filmed the video!  This is the person who would go out of their way to screw you into losing your job!!!!  Everyone makes mistakes, but the person who released these videos was out for BLOOD! and I am sure this was not the first time nor the last time they will stab a fellow MOS in the back over a grudge!!!!  If they killed someone that would be different...but this is a stressful career and they were probably just looking for a way to blow off some steam...

←

Well said...x123

[64FFMJK 21]

Thirdly...there was no HIPAA violation

←

want to bet.

lets call some lawyers and see what they say. I did when there was a vidiotape of a family member in a hospital that was viewed by outside doctors not involved in care for the PT with out consent of the PT or his health care proxy. The vidio was being done for a drug research study and we were never consulted prior to or after taping and only found out about it after it was used. Lets just say that there was never a bill sent for care from the hospital and it was almost 3 months in ICU and 6 months total in the hospital with multiple surgeries. If you film a PT and it is viewed for any reason with out WRITEN CONCENT from the PT alowing for the vidio in the first place and also for the viewing then you better know a great lawyer since there is an abundance of lawyers waiting to go after the healthcare industry EMS included.

Edited May 10, 2007 by 64FFMJK

[Guest partyrock]

Thats not a hippa violation, thats a personal privacy violation. These two clows did two things wrong. They didn't get documented concent from the patients and they abused the intox patient. Their biggest offense was violating the public trust and smearing the depts name. Lastly, while it was appropriate for the EMS command to be informed, sending this to the press did nothing but hurt the job. Who ever sent it should be on their way out the door with the other two.