Long Beach firefighters photographed dying man

Long Beach firefighters photographed a dying man they had taken to the emergency room for treatment, a department spokesman said Friday.

The Times previously reported that staffers at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach photographed stabbing victim William Wells after he was brought to the emergency room April 9 and posted the photo on Facebook.

Wells was taken to the emergency room by a Long Beach fire captain, two firefighters and two firefighter paramedics, some of whom photographed him, said department spokesman Steve Yamamoto.

Yamamoto would not say how many of the firefighters photographed Wells, how they photographed him or whether they were disciplined, saying it was a confidential personnel matter.

“The Fire Department has no knowledge of any photographs being posted on Facebook or any other social network websites,” he said, adding that the department already bars firefighters from photographing patients, so no new guidelines were created after the incident.

Wells, 60, had been attacked by a fellow resident at the Crofton Manor Inn convalescent home in Long Beach. He was stabbed 16 times and his neck was slit, according to the autopsy report. Long Beach police said Wells’ roommate, Gilbert Baca, 82, has been charged with murder.

St. Mary spokeswoman Daa'iyah Jordan has confirmed that hospital staffers posted a photograph of a patient online, but would not identify the staffers or patient, or say where the photo was posted. She said hospital officials notified the patient's family and California Department of Public Health regulators.

Four staff members were fired and three disciplined in connection with the incident, she said. At least two nurses were involved but none was fired, a union spokesman said.

The public health department is investigating the incident, along with eight additional potential breaches of patient information at the hospital this year and three last year, spokesman Ralph Montano said Friday.

A St. Mary employee who asked not to be identified for fear of being fired said a supervisor showed her the photograph on her cellphone. She said the photo was dark, but she could clearly see Wells’ bloody face and neck.

“It was gruesome,” she said. “I just looked at it and turned away.”

That supervisor and other staff who exchanged the photo on e-mail were still working at the hospital, she said.

Wells’ family could not be reached for comment and a St. Mary spokesman did not return phone calls Friday.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Comments

[Cheryl]

So will the firefighters lose their jobs??? They should. But the public will give them a pass and instead demonize their favorite boogeyman- teachers

[LBDF Victim]

This story doesn't come as a surprise to me. After dealing with the gross incompetence of both the Long Beach Fire Dept. and St. Mary's Medical Center in the recent past, I'm just shocked that a story like this hasn't come to light sooner.

[me.yahoo.com/a/eHnOi3tupJnTfXNXUxuAvwxKIoGZ02SzrgZlFQ--]

Hey LA Times, get your story straight. You claimed a few days ago that it was the St. Mary Medical Center staff who released the photos and that some hospital staff had been fired as a result.

So what is the real story???

[clynnwo]

They should have all been fired.

[jojo]

Our culture, modern amerikan culture is SICK.
These firefighters, "heroes" of course, are part of that sick culture.

[David Garcia]

I bet none of you have ever had any real responsibility in your life!!!! So, all the sudden, you think this guys should be fired? Yeah, you make the policies and the city or the department doesn't? None of you have ever made a mistake!!!?? Let me follow you around at work and when you mess up, no counseling nor time off, instantly get fired? And for the LBFD victim, I bet your one of these people that call 911 when you get made at your kid and pretend to have chest pain to make them feel bad or call 911 because you can't sleep! Meanwhile, people are dying or really sick and need 911 help! Grow up and see the real word, have real life and death decision ever day, then you can pass judgment! I bet the biggest mistakes in your career is when someone doesn't put a cover sheet on the TPS reports! A bunch of self-righteous dolts! I tell you what, do a ride along with these fire fighter to get some prospective. You might go on the 20 year old guy living in section 8 getting 5 grand from the state because he's near sighted, but can't work and sells drugs from his garage, and call 911 because he's has an ingrown hair! I challenge all of you to do it!!!!!!!!

[sethook]

The firefighters can't be fired. They were ordained heros after 9/11, so should get a free pass for life.

[Crazy Horse]

No big thing. Back to work.

[Linda]

So do y'all still think firefighters are all heroes, now?

[Elsye Baldwin]

America's hero's. Cannot do anything wrong. Some how this will get flipped towards the PD...and they will be blamed...

[kim]

WRONG! Do people have no morals? Do they need a taste of their own medicine? Seriously people stop being such selfish-pri....

[Jim]

As a law enforcement officer, I believe it should be a crime for public agency personnel such as fire and police to take pictures of seriously injured victims or just a victim when the sole purpose is for personal use. When the taking of the picture is not part of your duty or there was never an intent on them being used for investigative purposes, I.E. you're doing it for your own sick reason, than it should be against the law.

[Thinline72]

OK, a story regarding unprofessional / unethical behaviour by public servants and someone tries to turn this into a discussion about teachers? Just goes to show that women can be Tools as well.

[Mike]

For starters... The man was DEAD when the photo was taken. He had been nearly decapitated at the con-home. His head was almost completely off his body. So, to say that the Firefighters photographed a dying man is pretty irresponsible. The author made it sound as though the man was laying there dying and the staff and Firefighters just stood around taking pictures. He was DEAD. He had no chance of living because his neck was severed. So, I suppose he could have gone on to be a reporter for the LA Times with his head cut off, but other than that he was DEAD

[ouyloof]

@me.yahoo.com: Please re-read the first two paragraphs. Both the St. Mary's staff AND the firefighters photographed the victim.

[TheBigPicture]

You can't fire everyone...that's just stupid...

As taxpayers we pay a lot of money to train firemen and paramedics and then they gain experience and expertise...They become very apt professionals...

However, if their actions violated their department policy they should be disciplined to correct that behavior and as an example for others...

[Randy]

Has anyone stopped to think that maybe law enforcement was either not there or was busy with the aggressor so the Fire Department personnel snapped a couple of quick photos for investigative purposes prior to moving or removing the patient from the scene. I am a firefighter and normally in a situation like this law enforcement would be busy with the aggressor, but we do not stop and take the time to get photos, but if asked then I am sure we would. Notice that no where in this story did it say anything about punishment to the fire department, but it didn't come from higher ups in the department which to me shows that it was already knowledge of the photos in the higher ranks. Don't you think that if they had been doing something against Standard Operating Procedures that it would have been kept more concealed, versus if they were doing something as order then it would be in reports and known of in the command chain. People quit jumping to conclusion off of what the media tells us and look outside of the box!

[Cal]

These firefighters should be fired. They were not taking photos for investigating purposes . They took photos to show ("oh man..look at this guy!") to their friends. Sick.

Even if they guy was dead or alive, it doesn't matter, that man was not in a position to give consent. Imagine if it was your family member on that table and a whole bunch of looky-loos came by to take their picture?