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October 2, 2007

2 Pawtucket dispatchers fired after woman's death

PAWTUCKET -- The Fire Department dispatchers who were on duty when a woman bled to death waiting for a rescue truck have been fired.

Rookie firefighters Sean Mooney and Christopher Jeffrey were let go last Friday, a week after they were suspended with pay following the Sept. 20 death of Maria A. Carvalho, 53.

City Director of Administration Harvey E. Goulet Jr. confirmed the firing, but declined to give the reason, saying that the matter remains under investigation and all information related to the incident is being forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office for review.

In an interview last week, Mrs. Carvalho’s husband, João, and son, John, said that, despite frantic telephone calls to 911, there was a delay dispatching an ambulance to their home at 101 Gooding St.

While she was waiting for the ambulance, Mrs. Carvalho, a kidney patient, bled to death.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the bleeding was from a shunt inserted for dialysis treatment.

John Carvalho said his mother dialed 911 as soon as the bleeding started. When she told his father that no one was helping her, João Carvalho got a neighbor to call 911 as well.

Police are reviewing the calls to determine if there was a indeed delay dispatching a rescue truck and, if so, who was responsible.

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Goulet, the top aide to Mayor James E. Doyle, said Doyle ordered that the investigation be conducted by the Police Department’s internal affairs division.

At the same time, he said, Fire Chief Timothy P. McLaughlin and the Fire Department’s training officer are conducting a review of Fire Department’s training and procedures. “They’re looking at every aspect of this incident,” Goulet said. “We certainly don’t want this happening again."

Neither Mooney and Jeffrey could for reached for comment. Both men were probationary employees who had been firefighters less than a year.

Lt. Robert Neill, the president of the Pawtucket firefighters union, said neither Mooney and Jeffrey have been in to tell him they were terminated.

“If that is the case, and they have been terminated, then we will probably be filing a grievance,” Neill said, adding that he will be discussing the matter with the union’s executive committee.

“Our position is that, if they started paying dues the day they were hired, then they’re entitled to all their rights under the collective bargaining agreement,” Neill said.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Permalink

October 2, 2007

2 Pawtucket dispatchers fired after woman's death

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