Resident raises ambulance concerns

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

ambulance

A San Benito resident has raised concerns regarding her preferred ambulance provider after she said an official from the City of San Benito instructed to use the municipality-contracted service.

At approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday morning, July 18, Assistant City Manager Art Rodriguez said he approached drivers of a Hidalgo County ambulance. The emergency vehicle was reportedly en route to pick up a terminally ill female child in an effort to transport her to a doctor’s appointment in Mercedes.

The ambulance had been previously scheduled to arrive at the San Benito residence of San Juanita Carrillo to pick up her 7-year-old granddaughter – the aforementioned ailing child. The girl has been diagnosed with Schizencephaly, a birth defect which causes developmental delays, delays in speech and skills, seizures and problems with brain-spinal cord communication. Of her granddaughter’s condition, Carrillo said, “My granddaughter is on hospice care. She’s very fragile. … Just last week she was selected for (the) Make a Wish Foundation.”

Carrillo had previously selected Carousel Ambulance out of Pharr to provide daily, round-trip transportation of the girl, from the Carrillo residence in San Benito to the treatment facility in Mercedes. “We can’t take her (to Mercedes), because we don’t have a handicapped vehicle,” said Carrillo. She added, “My husband and I are in our late 60s, and we cannot transport her. Her doctor signed a paper saying she could be picked up in an ambulance. Every day they come by 8:15 at the latest.”

When the ambulance had not arrived at the usual time on Thursday, Carrillo began to worry. She said the ambulance “arrived after 8:30 a.m.” at which time the driver said he was “stopped about a block from the house by Art Rodriguez.”

Rodriguez said, “I spotted the ambulance driving, (which) does not have a permit to operate in the City. I followed them and stayed behind them for about five minutes.” Rodriguez said the ambulance was already pulled over in a residential neighborhood when, “I approached the driver, identified myself, and he identified himself. I informed him he was illegally operating in the city. … I did not interfere with their transport, but said if I saw them…again they would be cited.”

Carrillo, however, disagreed. “The driver said he had been stopped by Art Rodriguez, and Art allegedly told them he would call the police if they didn’t leave (the City) because they didn’t have a permit,” Carrillo said. “The guys circled around until Art left…and that is why they were late.”

Carrillo further noted that the ambulance arrived at her residence around 8:30 a.m., making her granddaughter one hour late to her appointment.

Of the allegation, Rodriguez said, “It is all untrue.”

The City of San Benito does not allow residents to select their own ambulance provider. Residents must adhere to the City’s contracted provider, the South Texas Emergency Care Foundation (STEC). Rodriguez said that STEC, in which he also serves as a board member, has “excellent response times and service.”

In addition, it is a violation of the City’s ordinance for any resident to contract, hire or receive ambulance services from another provider.

Carrillo is seeking answers from elected officials, she said. “I went to the City. … No one will call me back. There is a problem with the fact he didn’t he call the company directly. Why did he stop the ambulance? He had no right to stop them. There was no need to stop them. Why would he do such a childlike thing stopping them? He’s abusing his power.”

Texas law states the following under subsections (b)(1) and (2) of “Following or Obstructing Fire Apparatus or Ambulance:”  An operator may not: (1) follow closer than 500 feet an ambulance that is flashing red lights unless the operator is on official business; or (2) drive or park the vehicle where an ambulance has been summoned for an emergency call in a manner intended to interfere with the arrival or departure of the ambulance.”

Though he referenced his action as a “traffic stop,” Rodriguez maintains that he did not actually pull over the ambulance while it was driving, but rather he “followed the ambulance and watched (as they sat) parked for five minutes,” before approaching. “I approached (the driver) as a professional courtesy.”

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/07/18/resident-raises-ambulance-concerns/

5 comments

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    • Denny Crane, Jr. on July 21, 2014 at 12:23 pm
    • Reply

    Art Rodriguez is an over-paid tax-payer funded bully who prides himself as being hired by the city for the sole purpose of firing people.

    The city taxpayers are facing two lawsuits alleging misconduct by Art Rodriguez while representing the city.

    Why the city needs two assistant city managers is beyond me. The city really really really needs to eliminate this position.

    https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/04/27/ex-fire-marshal-alleges-age-discrimination-in-lawsuit/

    http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_7c3b730c-3162-11e3-ad60-001a4bcf6878.html

    The city might also want to read Sec. 5.05.032 Exceptions of the San Benito Code of Ordinances

    http://www.cityofsanbenito.com/documentcenter/view/152

      • Denny Crane, Jr. on July 21, 2014 at 6:07 pm
      • Reply

      Make that section Sec. 6.05.032 Exceptions

      • WeThePeople on July 21, 2014 at 7:07 pm
      • Reply

      From what you pointed out Mr. Crane, the way I read the ordinance, it appears that the Assistant City Manager VIOLATED the ordinance?? Right? Hmmm. I wonder who will ‘fine’ him?
      ~~~~~~~~
      San Benito Code of Ordinances – Section 6.05.032 Exceptions
      Such an exclusive contract will only include emergency calls originating within the city and will not include or restrict in any way ambulance and/or emergency service providers passing through the city or responding to an emergency call originating outside the city, even if the destination hospital is within the city. The exclusive contract further will not include or restrict in any way deliveries or transfers of persons from any rest home, clinic, hospital, convalescent home or other private institution which does not involve emergency or medical treatment essential to the health or life of such person. (Ordinance 2297, sec. 4, adopted 10/21/03

      ~~

    • WeThePeople on July 20, 2014 at 9:45 am
    • Reply

    Texas Statutes – Section 545.407: FOLLOWING OR OBSTRUCTING FIRE APPARATUS OR AMBULANCE

    (a) An operator, unless on official business, may not follow closer than 500 feet a fire apparatus responding to a fire alarm or drive into or park the vehicle in the block where the fire apparatus has stopped to answer a fire alarm.
    (b) An operator may not:
    (1) follow closer than 500 feet an ambulance that is flashing red lights unless the operator is on official business; or
    (2) drive or park the vehicle where an ambulance has been summoned for an emergency call in a manner intended to interfere with the arrival or departure of the ambulance.
    Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

    ~~
    It might be difficult to make a case for this being an emergency call, but on the other hand it might be difficult to make a case as to why the Assistant City Manager is out chasing ambulances. Doesn’t this appear to be a function of City code enforcement or the police?
    IMHO, the most appropriate action for the manager to take should have been to record the date/time, plate number of the vehicle and and name of the ambulance company from the vehicle, and then send the company a certified letter for any alleged violation. I’m sure the ambulance drivers are just doing what they are told to do and have little or no knowledge about ordinances.
    Since the resident was instructed to use the ‘municipality-contracted service’. I wonder how well publicized the fact that all residents are required to use only this one service really is?. The resident may not have even known they had a choice nor been asked by their health provider which ambulance service they preferred.
    The City currently uses STEC (South Texas Emergency Care Foundation, Inc), as the ‘municipality-contracted service’ provider. Take a look at the link below at their tax form; check how much the top 2 executives get paid. See any names you recognize??

    http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/742/742028156/742028156_201209_990.pdf

    I wonder what it costs the City for the privilege of allowing STEC to be the ‘municipality-contracted service’??

  1. KARMA,KARMA,KARMA.Well Mr.Rodriguez save the city some money do what you like to do FIRE CITY EMPLOYEES.NOW FIRE YOURSELF. YOU MADE THE CITY LOOK BAD.

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