Gabrielle Russon
A Ponce Inlet paramedic who admitted to making mistakes on the job that he said killed patients and a fire lieutenant who reportedly built gun kits in the fire station’s bay both lost their bid to get their jobs back, records show.
Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeals denied Kyle Oberst and Derek George’s appeal motions earlier this month.
“We will be glad when it’s finally over and can put it behind us,” Ponce Inlet Town Manager Mike Disher said when reached for comment.
The panel of judges granted Ponce Inlet’s motion to get attorney fees covered by the Ponce Inlet Professional Fire Fighters Local 4140 International Association of Fire Fighters.
The union’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
Ponce Inlet fired Oberst and George after a 2021 investigation.
Several fire department employees said Oberst admitted to making errors, like administering the wrong drug to a patient or misreading a patient’s heart rhythm so he delivered the incorrect amount of electricity, according to the 2021 investigative report by DSK Law done at the town’s request.
Oberst confessed to his co-workers that he doubted his abilities, found the job stressful and was scared he hurt his patients, the report said.
When the town’s probe began, however, Oberst denied making those comments about his patients. He never reported any incidents involving his patients to the fire chief.
“When asked if he ever made comments that the care that he provided as a paramedic led to the death of a patient he responded, ‘Not that I can remember,’” the report said.
Meanwhile, George, who was the union President and owned a gun store, built 20 rifles, handguns and an AR-15 inside the fire station’s bay area over two years, one firefighter said, according to the 2021 report.
“Lt. George would bring firearms into the bay area, build them and return the built firearms to his vehicle. Lt. George would intentionally bring out his firearms after Chief Scales left for the day; after 4:00 P.M.,” the report said according to the employee’s account.
George denied building real guns. He argued he built kits that only looked like real firearms, the report said.
