News, Report: EMS Mistakenly Declares Woman Dead at Crash Scene. (physician, medical)

[JD59]

An EMS team is under review after mistakenly declaring a woman dead at a Texas crash scene, KSAT.com reports.

A yellow sheet was draped over Erica Smith, 23, at the crash scene in San Antonio on Sunday, a standard EMS practice for fatalities, the site reports.

But investigators with the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office found Smith was still alive, KSAT.com reports.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317098,00.html

[jessiegirl_98]

That's really messed up!

[eddiek]

Since when does an EMS have the authority to declare death? The person should have been transported, and a physician left to declare the patient.