WAPT in Jackson, Mississippi reports that Councilman Kenneth Stokes is standing firm on his statment Thursday that AMR crews should have run into an active shooting incident to rescue a victim.
In an interview with WAPT Stokes is quoted as saying that rescuers should be willing to risk their lives in saving others. The heated comments started on Thursday when Stokes criticized AMR for not rushing in an rescuing Lee Joseph Martin, who was shot six times at the Pleasant Oaks Apartments. Stokes made the comment that if AMR cannot accept the risk, then they should change their policy of the city should take over the ambulance business.
AMR spokesman Jim Pollard reinforced the need for the scene to be secure before EMS personnel rush in. Pollard said it is national policy to have EMS units stage away from the scene until police have made arrests or made the scene safe to operate in by other means. Jerry Johnston, president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, also reinforced AMR’s safety policy.
Councilman Stokes maintains that the city has a standard to make sure its citizens are safe, and if AMR is unable to meet that standard, they should break their contract.
