Paramedic Legal Defense

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Attorney Joe Rose was once a career firefighter and the chairman of the El Dorado Fire District and has since made it part of his mission to assist firefighters and paramedics in his law practice.

"My career as a firefighter with Sacramento Metro Fire was sidelined in the early 2,000's when I contracted cancer from smoke exposure. Coincidentally I was in law school, so I've dedicated a significant portion of my practice to advocating for the rights of firefighters and paramedics in California," Rose explains.

Joe Rose earned his law degree from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento where he received top honors in seven academic subjects and two top awards in both appellate advocacy and trial advocacy. The former firefighter founded Rose Law Firm, P.C. in 2004 after working many years in a Northern California law firm in its labor law and litigation sections.

In addition to being an attorney who has helped firefighters and paramedics for almost a decade, Joe Rose has helped revolutionize the fire industry. In his 20's he invented the Pedi-Wheel, which is a convenient, water resistant pocket reference tool that allows first responders to have access to vital pediatric data at their fingertips.

This has been used by numerous paramedics and firefighters on their way to help children during an emergency. The creation of this tool has helped many first responders not have to do math at 3 in the morning while on a call. Joe Rose's Pedi-Wheel gives you the following information for each age column, which ranges from premie to 16 years of age:

• Average 25th, 50th and 75th Percentile Weight    
• Average Systolic Blood Pressure   
• Average Pulse Rate   
• Average Respiratory Rate   
• Suggested Endotracheal Tube Size   
• Suggested E.T. Tube Length   
• Suggested Laryngoscope Size

As the founder of Paramedic Legal Defense, Joe Rose wants to share the top five things a first responders should do if they were to come under investigation or scrutiny:

• Get a representative.  

• Take the process seriously.

"During an investigative interview or investigative process it's important for the mentality [to know] that the 'If i just    go in there, say my piece, and get this out of the way, we can all get this taken care of right now,' usually doesn't     work. It's usually a delayed process that requires preparation. It requires the paramedic to take it seriously."

• Only make statements when ordered.

"If you are ordered to talk as a condition of your employment, there are limitations on how that statement may be used against you."

• Expect delays and avoid discussing the case.
  

"Avoid talking to people, particularly your co-workers and friends, about the investigation for two reasons. One, you may be violating an order not to discuss the investigation that your department has given you, which could be a cost for separate discipline. And second, you are turning those people into witnesses, potentially against you."

• Challenge all disciplinary actions.

"If you get a minor discipline and you're inclined, you think it's unfair, but you are inclined to let it go just to put it    behind you, you may want to reconsider because if something happens in the future, that could count as a scrutiny     strike against you."

Joe Rose recently started a monthly subscription-based pre-paid legal service for paramedics in California to assist them if they ever find themselves such situations. For more information, log on to www.paramediclegaldefense.com.


Author:Deanne Goodman - Video, Renee Marquart - Text