After First Responders Don't Comply, New York Rescinds Disturbing 'Do Not Resuscitate' Order

By Christine Favocci

Published April 23, 2020 at 12:35pm

There is good news coming out of New York as state officials walked back an all-encompassing “do-not-resuscitate” order on Wednesday after emergency workers refused to comply.

While existing guidelines advised first responders to spend 20 minutes attempting to revive victims with no pulse, the New York Post reported on Tuesday that a state Health Department memo was reversing that guidance, telling responders not to attempt to revive victims at all.

The change is “necessary during the COVID-19 response to protect the health and safety of EMS providers by limiting their exposure, conserve resources, and ensure optimal use of equipment to save the greatest number of lives,” the memo read.

“Now you don’t get 20 minutes of CPR if you have no rhythm,” a Fire Department of New York emergency medical services worker told the Post. “They simply let you die.”

The state health department acknowledged the memo on Wednesday and announced it was being rescinded.

“This guidance, proposed by physician leaders of the EMS Regional Medical Control Systems and the State Advisory Council — in accordance with American Heart Association guidance and based on standards recommended by the American College of Emergency Physicians and adopted in multiple other states — was issued April 17, 2020 at the recommendation of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, and reflected ‎nationally recognized minimum standards,” department spokeswoman Jill Montag told Fox News in a statement.

“However, they don’t reflect New York’s standards and for that reason DOH Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker has ordered them to be rescinded,” she added.

When the story about the DNR guidance first broke, many were unhappy with the new order, including city firefighters.

“They’re not giving people a second chance to live anymore,’’ Oren Barzilay, president of FDNY Local 2507, told the Post.

“Our job is to bring patients back to life. This guideline takes that away from us,” he said.

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Poster Comment:

When we were at Woodstock 94 there were medics there from FDNY. We gave them plenty of work to do.

We had to be in there the first night since the gates were open and the crowd was coming in.

Three guys were drunk and got in wheel chair potties that were fenced on three sides. They couldn't figure out how to get out, so they climbed on top of one of the potties and jumped the fence.

One guy broke his ankle. I think that was the last time they could get an ATV in there. His friends were telling him, "Don't worry. We will sell your ticket." ROTFLOL