[nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog fromtraveling with him

Thu Dec 8 15:54:12 UTC 2011

another option might be to put an entry in your cell phone for in case of 
emergency who to contact.  Another might be to have a card in your wallet or 
something that you carry when you go out with  a person to be contacted that 
can care for your dog.  I read some where too that if the dog is injured the 
first responders are obligated to get the dog to a vet.  Not sure if this is 
correct though.  I'll have to look for that.

Julie Phillipson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherrill O'Brien" <sherrill.obrien at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 3:11 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog 
fromtraveling with him

> Marion and all,
>
> With all the variables that are possible in an emergency situation, it's
> even more important to get well researched and solid information out to
> those who need it. An article such as you are writing is a crucial step 
> for
> you to take on behalf of NAGDU. We all thank you for your professionalism
> and commitment.
>
> Sherrill
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
> Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
> Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 2:02 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog
> fromtraveling with him
>
>
> Rebecca,
>    Entities are not required to provide care for a service animal; 
> however,
> the extenuating circumstances of providing emergency medical treatment may
> dictate a higher level of care. If the handler is not capable of caring 
> for
> the service animal, the entity may choose to transport it, in spite of the
> lack of responsibility to do so. The option may also be to have another
> first responder transport the animal to the hospital and transfer custody 
> to
> the social service department.
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 8:28 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog
> fromtraveling with him
>
>
>> Marian
>> You mentioned that a hospital or ambulance could refuse to deal with a
>> service animal if the handler doesn't take appropriate action. What if 
>> the
>> handler *can't* take appropriate action? "Doesn't" implies that the
>> handler doesn't give a damn, can't implies that the handler is in some
>> seriously bad shape.
>> Can you explain what would happen if a handler was unconscious or was in
>> some form of shock or otherwise experiencing impaired judgment?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Marion Gwizdala
>> Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 8:13 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog
>> fromtraveling with him
>>
>> Natalie,
>>    Some time in the very near future, there will be an article in one of
>> the major peer-reviewed professional journals for providers of emergency
>> medicine concerning service animals in what is referred to as
>> "pre-hospitalization treatment and transportation". My agreement with the
>> journal is that it may be published in the Braille Monitor 30 days after
>> it
>> is published in the journal. This will help better educate first
>> responders
>> to this issue. I have also written model policies for ambulances and
>> hospitals concerning service animals and these policies are being
>> submitted
>> to the Baltimore Fire Rescue services and will be made available to such
>> entities.
>>    Not all service dogs wear special gear, so the presence of a harness 
>> or
>> other identifying gear is not a prerequisite for service. The same
>> guidance
>> applies to ambulances as with other public and private entities. They may
>> ask if the person has a disability, if the  dog is a service animal, what
>> tasks the animal is trained to perform, and how the animal was trained.
>> Unless it can be demonstrated that the service animal poses a direct
>> threat - a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot
>> be
>> eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures - or
>> the
>> animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action 
>> to
>> correct the behavior, an individual with a disability accompanied by a
>> service animal must be allowed the same access as others. HTH!
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Natalie" <nrorrell at qwest.net>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2011 2:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog
>> fromtraveling with him
>>
>>
>>> So, is the way for the emergency responders to know by way of the
>>> harness?
>>> Just curious.  I've heard of other horror stories of handlers being
>>> separated from their guide dogs.
>>> Best,
>>> Nat and Liam Joshua
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 7:01 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guidedog
>>> fromtraveling with him
>>>
>>>
>>>> Not always possible if you are in shock or panicked. Or if you can't
>>>> speak.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf Of Natalie
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 8:51 PM
>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guide dog
>>>> fromtraveling with him
>>>>
>>>> This is just so wrong, no matter which way you cut it.  Fortunately,
>>>> I've
>>>> never had to be transported by ambulance in all the times I've worked a
>>>> guide dog, but if I did, I'd inform the dispatcher I'm totally blind 
>>>> and
>>>> I
>>>> have a guide dog on scene.
>>>> Best,
>>>> Nat and Liam Joshua
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 4:29 AM
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guide dog
>>>> fromtraveling
>>>> with him
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Blind man says paramedics prevented guide dog from traveling with him
>>>>>
>>>>> Veteran, 62, had been traveling to parade when struck by car
>>>>>
>>>>> By Julie Scharper, The Baltimore Sun
>>>>>
>>>>>
> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-ambulance-
>>>>> service-dog-20111121,0,4352653,print.story
>>>>>
>>>>> 11:53 p.m. EST, November 21, 2011
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> A 62-year-old blind man has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department
>>>>> of
>>>>> Justice claiming Baltimore paramedics refused to allow his service dog
>>>>> to
>>>>> accompany him in an ambulance after he was struck by a car.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Curtis Graham Jr., a Marine who served in Vietnam, was on his way to
>>>>> the
>>>>> city's Veterans Day parade on Nov. 11 when he was hit by a car near 
>>>>> his
>>>>> West
>>>>> Baltimore home. Paramedics would not allow Indo, his 2-year-old golden
>>>>> Labrador retriever, into the ambulance, Graham said.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "They refused to take a service animal who I need very much," said
>>>>> Graham,
>>>>> who suffered minor injuries. "He is my eyes."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Baltimore City Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said the
>>>>> incident
>>>>> was under investigation. He confirmed that a blind man was struck by a
>>>>> car
>>>>> and taken to a hospital by ambulance, and said he believed the 
>>>>> victim's
>>>>> guide dog had not been transported.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Cartwright said that to his knowledge, the department did not have a
>>>>> policy
>>>>> on service animals.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> A spokesman for the National Federation for the Blind said first
>>>>> responders
>>>>> are "legally obligated to transport the service animal" under Maryland
>>>>> law.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "You're basically taking the blind person's way of understanding his
>>>>> environment away from him," said federation spokesman Chris Danielsen.
>>>>> "I
>>>>> have no idea what sort of irrational thought process was behind not
>>>>> letting
>>>>> the dog in the ambulance, but that is an act of discrimination," he
>>>>> said.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Graham said he had planned to take the subway to join in the city's
>>>>> Veterans
>>>>> Day parade, then head to the National Aquarium, where he volunteers at
>>>>> the
>>>>> information desk. Graham, a retired bus driver, has relied on a guide
>>>>> dog
>>>>> since 2006, when he lost his sight to glaucoma.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Graham said he and Indo were crossing Cold Spring Lane near Dolfield
>>>>> Avenue
>>>>> when a car making a left turn plowed into them.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "My dog took the blow because he was trying to protect me," he said.
>>>>> "By
>>>>> the
>>>>> grace of God, he wasn't hurt."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Graham said he was flung onto the hood of the car and carried about 10
>>>>> feet
>>>>> before he rolled off. Paramedics quickly arrived and strapped Graham 
>>>>> to
>>>>> a
>>>>> board to stabilize him, but balked when he said Indo needed to
>>>>> accompany
>>>>> him.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "They were going to leave my dog on the pavement, and I wasn't going 
>>>>> to
>>>>> have
>>>>> it," he said. "I said, 'The hell you ain't. He's a service dog.' I
>>>>> said,
>>>>> 'If
>>>>> you don't take my dog, I ain't going.'"
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Graham eventually called the apartment complex where he lives, and a
>>>>> maintenance worker came to retrieve Indo.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "He was upset and I was upset," Graham said of the dog. "He didn't 
>>>>> want
>>>>> to
>>>>> go as they were taking me away in the ambulance."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Danielsen said guide dogs are highly trained and would not cause
>>>>> problems
>>>>> in
>>>>> an ambulance or a hospital. And, he said, it's a misdemeanor to
>>>>> separate
>>>>> a
>>>>> guide dog from a blind person.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Graham was taken to Sinai Hospital, where doctors determined he had
>>>>> bruises
>>>>> and swelling. He was treated and released. Graham said it was
>>>>> disorienting
>>>>> to be in the hospital without his guide dog.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "As far as I'm concerned, they violated my civil rights," he said.
>>>>> "We're
>>>>> partners, and it's against [the] law for them to separate the team."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> julie.scharper at baltsun.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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