Critics cost that the EMTs — each of whom had lower than a yr on the job — ought to have referred to as a supervisor or the FDNY to take down the door within the hopes of saving Lt. Nelson Seto, 47.
Seto referred to as 911 from his dwelling in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, telling the dispatcher that he was having bother respiration.
The 911 dispatcher despatched an ambulance that arrived inside six minutes, however nobody answered the door after they arrived, sources with information of the incident mentioned.
When the EMTs informed the dispatcher nobody was there, the dispatcher referred to as Seto again, however he didn’t reply. The job was rapidly closed and the EMTs have been despatched to a different job, the supply mentioned.
A number of hours later, a relative confirmed up at Seto’s home and located him lifeless.
The FDNY mentioned Wednesday they’re reviewing how the EMTs dealt with the job to find out if present procedures concerning these responses must be up to date.
“The FDNY is mourning the loss of an EMS Lieutenant who passed away from a medical incident while off-duty,” an FDNY spokeswoman mentioned in a press release. “On Monday morning, FDNY EMTs responded to a call for difficulty breathing, and were unable to make patient contact. This incident is under review, and it is likely there will be changes to FDNY protocols as a result.”
A supply with information of FDNY protocols mentioned that there are “several discretionary options” the EMTs may have used, together with calling a supervisor and having the door taken down however “none of those options were exercised in this case.”
Union members mentioned that the town’s failure to maintain metropolis EMTs and paramedics — who usually go away EMS after a couple of years to discover a higher paying job — created an ideal storm the place each EMTs and the dispatcher who dealt with Seto’s name had lower than three years on the job mixed.
One EMT had solely been working at EMS for a yr, members declare. The opposite was a probationary EMT and had been on the job for six months.
FDNY officers have been additionally investigating if the dispatcher had knowledgeable the arrival EMTs that Seto was an EMS lieutenant.
Regardless, the EMTs ought to have taken steps to verify the individual on the opposite aspect of the door was OK earlier than leaving, mentioned Vincent Variale, the president of the EMS Officer’s Union.
Seto had been with EMS for over 10 years. He had simply grow to be a paramedic earlier than he was promoted to lieutenant final yr.
When he wanted assist, he deserved a greater response, Variale believes.
“Many members go to these type of calls and don’t go away,” Variale mentioned on WBAI Wednesday morning. “You check to make sure that person is alive. If they need medical treatment, you provide that treatment.
“At the very least medical treatment should have been provided,” he mentioned.
The 2 EMTs who responded to Seto’s dwelling haven’t been disciplined and have been nonetheless responding to emergency calls Wednesday because the division seems to be into how they dealt with Monday’s emergency, the spokeswoman mentioned.
Initially Revealed: February 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM EST
