An assistant chief for the Ansonia Rescue Medical Services has been suspended for one month without pay for not showing up to assigned shifts.
During one of those shifts, a child having a seizure had to wait 22 minutes before an ambulance arrived on scene, according to minutes of the ARMS Commission from Jan. 4.
At a special meeting Jan. 13, the ARMS Commission voted to suspend Assistant Chief James Walsh for violating ARMS rules, negligence that endangered the life of safety of another person, and excessive absence/lateness.
The Commission that night also suspended Assistant Chief Driver John Mazako for insubordination and harassment.
A message seeking comment was left with Walsh Monday evening. Mazako could not be reached for comment.
Few Details
ARMS Chief David Geloso and ARMS Commission Chairman Jerome Fainer declined to comment on specifics of the two suspensions, citing personnel issues.
The only details of the suspensions are available in the Jan. 4 meeting minutes.
The commission that night concentrated on the allegations against Walsh.
During one of Walsh’s missed shifts, a call for a child having a seizure came in. ARMS had to pass the call to another department, the minutes state.
The response time was further delayed because of inclement weather that night, according to the minutes.
Geloso declined to elaborate on the 22-minute response time referenced in the minutes, citing patient privacy laws.
The only mention of Mazako in the minutes is that he “is also missing while collecting a stipend.”
Geloso and Fainer declined to elaborate on the details surrounding Mazako’s suspension.
Mazako and Walsh receive annual stipends, but the exact amount was not available Monday.
Geloso said typically when a scheduled employee can’t make a shift, they are required to notify someone who can try to fill in the shift with either volunteers of part-time staffers.
“Somewhere along the line the ball got dropped, and that’s why we took action,” Geloso said.
The ARMS Commission met again Monday night, but the suspensions were not discussed.
