The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

AS EMERGENCY Medical Service (EMS) personnel continue to lobby their employer for comprehensive health insurance, one of their colleagues in need of an organ transplant has taken a turn for the worse, and has been airlifted to Florida, The Tribune understands.

EMS personnel told this paper last month that they need the government and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) to put them on a comprehensive medical insurance plan outside of their National Insurance coverage.

Now, the need for that insurance coverage has hit home with EMS insiders telling The Tribune that the individual in need of the transplant was struggling to find the funds to get treatment in Florida and had taken a turn for the worse last week.

An EMS worker said last month:

“It’s now 2013 and after years of begging and pleading with the PHA and government for comprehensive medical insurance, EMS staff, who are literally on the front line of pre-hospital health care, putting their lives on the line 24-7 on the streets of Nassau, Grand Bahama and Abaco, are still risking our lives and health, uninsured.

“We spend forty plus hours every week to and fro through the streets of Nassau, Grand Bahama and Abaco putting our lives on the line in face of chaotic, violent scenes, verbal abuse – at times we are physically attacked by psychiatric patients or violent persons on scene – extricating persons from mangled vehicles, being exposed to contagious diseases and at times toxic fumes and chemicals, even with flying bullets, rushing through traffic, just to save lives.

“Yes, that’s our job and we accept that. It’s a thankless job most of the time though, as people hardly ever thank us for what we do, leaving us to pat one another on the back and say good job.

“We’re over worked and under paid, but almost all of us would come back the next day in a heartbeat to do it all over again.”