Louisville Metro EMS Paramedic Ordered to Work Overtime Falls Asleep in Patients Home and is Suspended

Paramedic Patty Greer was placed on indefinite suspension without pay after she fell asleep last Saturday night at a patient’s home while entering the patient’s information into her laptop. Greer says that she bent down to enter the patient’s details and fell asleep.

Greer blames the department’s excessive mandatory overtime for causing fatigue at work.  She also told reporters “I want people in our service not to be tired. I don’t want everybody to be mean and nasty and horrible anymore.”

In the past, the department has told the media that members who are too exhausted to work are allowed to go home, but that claim is disputed by employees. Paramedic Teresa Johnson showed reporters a copy of a written reprimand she received in June for not accepting mandatory overtime.  “We’re being forced to work overtime when we’re vastly too tired to do that”.

Louisville Metro EMS was in the news recently related to a number of disciplinary issues, many of which involved drug related offenses.

When asked about the overtime problem, and some possible solutions, Metro Councilman Kelly Downard stated “New Management”.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 40 years of fire service experience and 30 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
x

Check Also

DC Firefighter-EMTs File Class Action Suit Over Pension

Five dual function EMT-firefighters with the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services have filed a class action lawsuit alleging that the city has reneged on pension-related promises. The complaint seeks to require the city to comply with its contractual and statutory pension obligations, as well alleging the city was motivated in denying them their benefits due to their race and gender.

Fire Law Roundup for May 29, 2023

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for May 29, 2023, Brad ...