Michigan firefighter injured on fireground denied care at clinic over lack of ID
Dundee officials are seeking a policy change after an urgent-care clinic denied treatment to a firefighter injured in a weekend blaze because he couldn’t present identification.
A member of the Dundee Township Volunteer Fire Department suffered minor injuries while fighting a fire at a mobile home park early Saturday morning. The firefighter, who has not been identified, was injured after partially falling through a floor at the Country Heritage Community Homes offices, 771 Mary Jean Court. Officials were called to the fire at 5:42 a.m.
The man, wearing street clothes, sought treatment at Dundee Urgent Care for rib pain around 9 a.m. that day but was not seen because he did not have a driver’s license, said Dundee village manager David Uhl.
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The firefighter left and instead headed to St. Joseph Hospital in Ann Arbor where he was treated for bruises to his ribs, side and back.
When told of the incident, (Dundee Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dan) Motylinski went to the clinic and employees there reportedly told him that under policy, having identification for treatment was required.
Dundee officials declined to name the firefighter. He was wearing street clothes and drove himself to the Urgent Care. The office is privately owned. The owner says the firefighter complained of rib pain.
He was given a form to complete and did not have ID on him. This a statement from the medical director.“While it is our policy to require a photo id for patients to be seen, it is also our policy to contact the employer, in this case the fire department, to verify employment and injury as we understand that injuries occur and patients are at times unable to provide the authorization or get their identification before leaving the job site. Had the patient given us the opportunity to call the fire department and verify his employment and injury, we would have done so and he would have been seen.
