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Paramedics carry extra battery for defibrillators

The move is a response to a patient's death on April 5. Paramedics tried to revive him, but later found out the defibrillator's battery was dead.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published April 28, 2006

CLEARWATER - City paramedics now carry a second backup battery as a result of an April 5 incident in which paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive a patient with a defibrillator that had dead batteries.

The paramedics tried to resuscitate Thomas C. Tipton, 34, of Tampa, who went limp after fighting with police who shocked him with a Taser. Tipton, a staffing firm manager, was pronounced dead a short time later.

The city and the Pinellas County medical director, whose office oversees Clearwater Fire and Rescue paramedics, are investigating why the defibrillator failed. Authorities have not said whether the defibrillator would have saved Tipton's life, and city officials would not say if paramedics tried to use a second portable defibrillator available at a fire station a block away. The results of Tipton's autopsy have not been made public.

Fire Chief Jamie Geer revealed Thursday that the department also planned to install battery chargers on vehicles, a decision he said had been made months ago.

One of the paramedics, Dwayne "Chris" Vaughan, 47, has had his license suspended and cannot provide medical care until the case is resolved, which is standard procedure in such investigations. The second paramedic involved was Jeffrey Kyle Wallace, 27.

Neither Vaughan nor Wallace had previous disciplinary problems, according to their personnel files.

Wallace joined the department in May 2004. Last year's annual review noted his conscientiousness and composure at emergency medical calls.

Vaughan has worked as a city firefighter for more than 23 years, earning satisfactory or better annual reviews. He has received several awards, including Most Outstanding Paramedic in 1992.

"I think that safety should be the first thing on everyone's mind, and training should reflect that thought," Vaughan wrote in a 2005 evaluation. "I feel that we need a solid and stable training department to help bring this department back to what it used to be."

Neither of the paramedics could be reached for comment Thursday.

The manufacturer of the Lifepak 12 defibrillator has said a preliminary examination of the device's internal logs showed it had been left on for three hours earlier on April 5, which drained the battery.

Prominent Tampa lawyer Barry Cohen is reviewing Tipton's death on behalf of his family.

News of the defibrillator failure first became public April 14. That day, city officials initially said the batteries on the defibrillator failed. They later said the unit had failed, not necessarily the battery and its emergency backup.

Tipton became unresponsive on the night of April 5 after a fight with police at the Tropic Isle Motel on north Clearwater Beach.

Witnesses had called 911 when Tipton walked into the motel courtyard, knocked over several patio chairs and broke jalousie windows, police say.

When officers tried to subdue him, Tipton kicked and punched them while shouting expletives, police and witnesses said. Officers shocked him with a Taser at least twice with little effect, a witness said.

Minutes later, after three officers managed to handcuff him, Tipton went limp.

Paramedics who already had been called to the scene began to treat Tipton. They tried to use a portable defibrillator with two different batteries to resuscitate him, officials have said. The device failed with the first battery and the backup battery.

[Last modified April 28, 2006, 01:16:18]