Taser Gives Man Seizure? Nope. Seizure Gives Man Taser!

[presence]

a heart attack and permanent brain damage.

Two Texan police officers are being sued for using a Taser to shock a man who was having a seizure, causing the 50-year-old to suffer....

http://rt.com/usa/news/man-seizure-police-sheeley-049/

Police responded to a request for medical assistance for Sheeley, who was suffering a seizure at his home in Austin. When officers Chard Norman and Kevin Sederquest arrived at the man’s house, they allegedly used violence to restrict him from movement, constrained his ability to breathe and repeatedly shocked him with a Taser gun.

[TheTexan]

Where's the rope

[heavenlyboy34]

Why were police dispatched for a medical emergency? This just ain't right. Typical 911 calls about seizures are handled by paramedics. Cops wouldn't even have the necessary equipment to save the guy if something unusual happened to him.

[Jumbo Shrimp]

Why were police dispatched for a medical emergency? This just ain't right. Typical 911 calls about seizures are handled by paramedics.

Police usually have to respond to all 911 calls. (just in case there was no medical emergency they make sure paramedics are needed)

[phill4paul]

They probably believed the Taser can double as a defibrillator. Common misunderstanding.

[MelissaWV]

Well? Where are people to pop up and say this guy was obviously on PCP or LSD?

[Anti Federalist]

Why were police dispatched for a medical emergency? This just ain't right. Typical 911 calls about seizures are handled by paramedics. Cops wouldn't even have the necessary equipment to save the guy if something unusual happened to him.

Happens all the time.

People dial 911 for firemen or first aid and they get Officer Friendly to tase and arrest your ass instead.

DO NOT CALL 911.

If possible, get yourself to a hospital or call fire or EMTs directly, most small to midsize town will still have a direct line.

Calling 911 will always get you a cop, whether you want or need one or not.

[heavenlyboy34]

Police usually have to respond to all 911 calls. (just in case there was no medical emergency they make sure paramedics are needed)

Since when? I've witnessed a number of medical emergencies (a guy once had a heart attack in church once and was taken out on a stretcher, for example) in which medics were called and no cops showed up. I haven't seen any in some years now, though.

[heavenlyboy34]

Happens all the time.

People dial 911 for firemen or first aid and they get Officer Friendly to tase and arrest your ass instead.

DO NOT CALL 911.

If possible, get yourself to a hospital or call fire or EMTs directly, most small to midsize town will still have a direct line.

Calling 911 will always get you a cop, whether you want or need one or not.

Wow.

[AFPVet]

I saw some of those old persons phones that had a button for cops, one for fire, and one for EMS. We should have separate emergency numbers for those services... it would also make things more efficient. You could have 911 for EMS, 811 for fire, and, well, let's just forget about the last one

[heavenlyboy34]

I saw some of those old persons phones that had a button for cops, one for fire, and one for EMS. We should have separate emergency numbers for those services... it would also make things more efficient. You could have 911 for EMS, 811 for fire, and, well, let's just forget about the last one

I've seen those too. My grandmama (R.I.P.) had one of those medical alert systems. The main station had separate buttons for fire, medical, police, etc. 'Twould be nice to have different phone numbers too. The drawback would be having to hire a lot of new operators and such. :/

[AFPVet]

I've seen those too. My grandmama (R.I.P.) had one of those medical alert systems. The main station had separate buttons for fire, medical, police, etc. 'Twould be nice to have different phone numbers too. The drawback would be having to hire a lot of new operators and such. :/

Yeah... maybe we could combine EMS/FIRE into 911 and have an alternative number for those who don't know any better.

[Restore America Now]

There's not much 911 can do for you anyway if you are having a seizure; my mother gets them periodically in her sleep since 2009 and we only called twice near the beginning of when they started happening because we didn't know better. All it earns you is an expensive ambulance ride and an EEG that most of the time will appear normal. It's better to let it pass and to monitor the person until they come-to fully. Then, depending on how you want to handle it; you could schedule a regular appointment with your doctor.

[John F Kennedy III]

Happens all the time.

People dial 911 for firemen or first aid and they get Officer Friendly to tase and arrest your ass instead.

DO NOT CALL 911.

If possible, get yourself to a hospital or call fire or EMTs directly, most small to midsize town will still have a direct line.

Calling 911 will always get you a cop, whether you want or need one or not.

This.

[Jumbo Shrimp]

Yeah... maybe we could combine EMS/FIRE into 911 and have an alternative number for those who don't know any better.

Most countries have a catch-all emergency number (911 in North America, 999 in the UK, 112 in most of Continental Europe) and specific numbers for fire, police, and EMS services as well. For example in Russia there's 112 for all emergencies and then: Police – 02; Ambulance – 03; Fire, Search and rescue – 01; Gas leaks – 04

[Brian4Liberty]

They probably believed the Taser can double as a defibrillator. Common misunderstanding.

[Lucille]

Happens all the time.

People dial 911 for firemen or first aid and they get Officer Friendly to tase and arrest your ass instead.

DO NOT CALL 911.

If possible, get yourself to a hospital or call fire or EMTs directly, most small to midsize town will still have a direct line.

Calling 911 will always get you a cop, whether you want or need one or not.

Good advice.

[ShaneEnochs]

Police usually have to respond to all 911 calls. (just in case there was no medical emergency they make sure paramedics are needed)

In my area they only respond to violence/crime. I've called for a medical emergency and got just the paramedics, and I've called for a fire-related emergency and just got the firefighters.

[presence]

There's not much 911 can do for you anyway if you are having a seizure; my mother gets them periodically in her sleep since 2009 and we only called twice...

Try habenero hot sauce. I've seen it stop a grand mal seizure. From foaming at the mouth to "wtf is so hot in my mouth?!?" in 2 seconds flat.

[Henry Rogue]

Tazer? I'm surprised they just didn't pull out there sidearms and pump him full of lead.

[Henry Rogue]

Can you believe this post at the bottom of the article?

zzz (unregistered)October 11, 2012, 12:29
-1


The story sounds ridiculous. Why would they call the police when they need medical help?

[AFPVet]

Interesting! When I was a cop, I would sit in the communications center waiting for my partner to show up—and it was busy at times. We had two dispatchers operating E911 for our entire county. Having additional numbers, like what Jumbo posted for Russia's emergency system, would really help a lot.

Yeah, for seizures, EMTs can't do a whole lot. The only thing you can do is give them an anticonvulsant or stopping any triggers.

Whatever you do, don't call the cops... please. I can't stand seeing peoples' dogs being shot just because they just happened to be there.

[heavenlyboy34]

Try habenero hot sauce. I've seen it stop a grand mal seizure. From foaming at the mouth to "wtf is so hot in my mouth?!?" in 2 seconds flat.

Srsly? I can see that working for a petit mal, but not a grand mal.