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A Florida man was found breathing shortly after he was declared dead on Wednesday.
“His lips were blue, and he was cold, but I was doing CPR. My friend was there, and she was doing chest compressions,” Phebe told the outlet. “His chest was going up and down, and he was making noises, so his lungs were working.”
“I’m like, ‘He’s still breathing!’ He’s like, ‘No ma’am, he’s gone, those are just his body releasing gases,'” Phebe recalled the paramedic allegedly saying.
According to WFLA, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputy found Thomas still breathing after visiting the home following the medics’ departure. Largo Fire Rescue crews were then dispatched to the home and transported Thomas to the hospital.
The outlet reported that the two paramedics who attended to Thomas were put “on administrative duty and have been clinically suspended,” citing Rob Shaw, a spokesperson for Clearwater Fire & Rescue.
“Upon notification of this incident, we immediately removed both fire medics from their normal duties and discontinued their abilities to provide patient care, in conjunction with the county’s medical director,” Clearwater Fire Chief Schott Ehlers said in a statement to News Channel 8, per WFLA.
“On behalf of the city, I apologize for the actions and the inactions of our crew during this incident,” Ehlers continued. “We have strict policies and procedures in place that were not followed, according to our preliminary review. These two did not perform to the standard of care that our citizens expect and deserve.”
Interim Clearwater City Manager Jennifer Poirrierwrote in a statementto News Channel 8, per WFLA, “When this does not occur at the level at which we expect, it is incumbent upon us to determine exactly what happened, why it happened, and then ensure it will never happen again.”
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While action has been taken, Phebe is still concerned about what this will mean for her father’s life moving forward.
“I’m frustrated, hurt and mad. I don’t know what this is going to do to my dad. I don’t know what kind of life he’s going to have now,” Phebe told WFLA.
source: people.com
