By Patric Hedlund with Gary Meyer

In a conference call with Hall Ambulance Service Quality Assurance Director Tom McGinnis Monday, July 30, The Mountain Enterprise was informed that a paramedic who was stationed in the Frazier Park office was placed on administrative leave following the July 9 decision to tell the family of a 13-year-old girl to transport her in a private car to Henry Mayo Hospital after she was bitten by a rattlesnake.

Hall Ambulance personnel were reported to have told her father, James Zoppe, "You can get there faster than we can."

McGinnis said that was wrong. "The paramedic’s responsibility is to always provide the highest level of care," he said. He called again on July 31 to inform us that the responsible paramedic stationed in Frazier Park had been fired, and that the results of the company’s investigation had been turned over to the California Emergency Medical Authority and Kern County Department of Emergency Medical Services. McGinnis, who is a certified paramedic with 23 years in the field, said he has worked on state boards representing the state ambulance association and has served eight years in quality assurance for Hall. "What should have taken place when the parents knocked on the door," he said, "is that any snakebite victim should be treated as if the bite is critical; [Jamie Zoppe] should have received the highest level of supportive care and transported to the closest medical facility as quickly as possible."

McGinnis said "it is not the job or the duty of any employee at the time of request for service to be concerned with the financial status of any patient."

McGinnis emphasized several times that the sole duty of medical personnel is to provide the highest level of service to patients.

See related Opinion piece "Snakebite Facts Grim" to read a response to Jamie’s story by Jennae Arrias, R.N.

See "Snakebite Response Touches Family" to read a letter to the editor from Jamie’s mother Brenda Zoppe relating the overwhelming response her family has received from the Mountain Communities.

This is part of the August 03, 2007 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.