Ohio deputy fire chief demoted after paramedics mistakenly pronounced patient dead

By Bill Carey
EMS1

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio – The Springfield Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to demote the deputy fire chief, following the recommendations of an investigative report.

The investigation found that Deputy Fire Chief David Moore did not adequately investigate an incident in which a woman was mistakenly pronounced dead in January. WTVG reported.

Two Springfield Township paramedics were fired; The fire chief and his deputy chief remain on leave

“As we continue to investigate this terrible situation, our focus is on identifying what went wrong and taking action to immediately address these issues,” said Andy Glenn, chairman of the board of trustees. “Although the deputy chief received no guidance or direction from the fire chief, he was still expected to lead the department. His investigation and leadership after the incident were nowhere near good enough.”

The Springfield Township fire chief remains on administrative leave pending a more comprehensive review.