In a brief statement Wednesday, Sedgwick County reported hiring a Wichita law firm to conduct what it called an “environmental assessment of EMS operations and leadership.”
The statement went on to say that “Sedgwick County understands the importance of this review, knowing that all parties involved feel this process should provide a thorough and unbiased report.”
The move follows concerns raised in March by the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services over the handling of a suicide case in Wichita in June, 2019. The Board said a man who shot himself was not taken to a nearby hospital even though he had a pulse and labored breathing. The Board called for sanctions against three EMS employees. The county issued a statement at the time saying it disagreed with the Board’s findings, and that the employees provided appropriate care. The county announced it was hiring an attorney to help in contesting the proposed sanctions.
