Video of Sheshashiu paramedic prompts internal review, family wants apology
Mother of sick toddler says paramedic behaved like 'policeman' when called to home
A paramedic who works for Labrador-Grenfell Health is no longer welcome in Sheshatshiu after a widely-shared Facebook video raised questions about his conduct during an interaction with an Innu family.
The video shows April Pone sitting on a couch with her daughter, Edalina, 2, and her nephew.
Pone saidshe called an ambulance for Edalina on Wednesday, Aug. 16, after the girl had been sick for four days and visited the hospital twice.
That's his job, he's supposed to help.- Monique Pone
The 33-second video, which hadbeen shared on Facebookmore than 2,500 times in the week following,shows the paramedic in a curt conversation with Pone.
"All right, welllet's go. Let's get her ready, bring her up," he says.
"Do you always treat people like that?" Pone replies.
"Well I mean, you have a van outside, the clinic's open all day," he says.
Toddler sick for days
Pone saidthe paramedic was acting "like a policeman" and telling her what she ought to do instead of helping.
She saidhe wanted to know why she called an ambulance instead of taking her daughter to the local clinic or driving to the hospital in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
"By that time, the clinic was also closed," she said.
Edalinafirst got sick on Saturday, Pone said.Her eyes were red and swollen, she had a fever and was throwing up.
Pone said doctors told her to keep an eye on the toddler, and to come back if she got worse. She said calling an ambulance to take her daughter to the hospital was the best bet, because she doesn't own a car.
In the video, the paramedic asks about a van parked outside, which Pone saidbelongs to her mother, who arrived after the ambulance was called.
"If I had a van or a vehicle, I wouldn't be needing them," she said.
Pone's sister, Monique Pone,witnessed the conversation withthe paramedic but she is not seen in the video. She saidEdalina's conditiondeteriorated and so calling an ambulance made sense.
"She got worse that evening, she was throwing up and had a fever. All kind of mothers would be worried," she said.
"That's his job, he's supposed to help."
A week after the video was taken, Pone saidEdalinais feeling better. She was diagnosed with an infection and is being treated with antibiotics.
Under review
Eugene Hart, the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation band council chief saidthe paramedic is no longer welcome in the community.
"I don't treat people like that, and I don't expect people from outside to come in and to talk to my people like that," Hart said.
"I think the parents are owed an apology."
In an email, a spokesperson for Labrador-Grenfell Health said a review was launched "immediately" after authorities learned about the video.
"Labrador-Grenfell Health has had dialogue with the Sheshatshiu Innu Band Council and advises that upon completion of the Health Authority review, it will take action if and as appropriate."
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