Elmhurst EMS Policy In 2015 Remains Unclear

ELMHURST, IL — The issue of whether to add advanced life support to fire rigs became a big issue in the Elmhurst mayoral campaign in March.

Along with that issue was an allegation that a short-lived policy in 2015 stopped the practice of fire trucks responding to emergency medical service calls. The policy was said to have ended immediately in August 2015 after the death of 13-year-old Annie LeGere, who is believed to have suffered a fatal allergic reaction.

In March, Shelly LeGere, Annie LeGere's mother, said she was asked to drive the ambulance because paramedics were tending to her daughter.

"I did not know how to drive an ambulance, nor was I in a state to drive any vehicle," LeGere said in an email. "The police officer drove the ambulance and I sat next to him. We did not know how to turn on the siren or how to activate (traffic) light alerts."

No city official has publicly denied the existence of the policy. On March 25, a day after the story appeared, Patch filed a public records request for any communications about any such policy as well as any after-action reports about the call on Aug. 18, 2015.

Under state law, the city was supposed to respond within five business days or seek an extension. But Patch got no response, even after two requests for updates. This was unusual because the city typically answers requests within state deadlines.

On Wednesday, Patch forwarded the history of the public records request to City Manager Jim Grabowski and requested that he send that history to Mayor Scott Levin, who took office two days earlier. Patch received the records a day later.

The records did not confirm such a policy existed. But they indicated a police officer drove the ambulance, which the city has said happens from time to time.

The city's response included emails between then-Fire Chief Jeff Bacidore and fire department official Bill Anaszewicz, now the interim fire chief. They exchanged the messages the morning after Annie LeGere's death.

Anaszewicz wrote, "After yesterday's call Don Martinson came to me and recommended adding the truck back to the response. I was going to ask Fannie to add it back on there. Do you have any issue with doing this?"

(Martinson was with the fire department. Patch has yet to ascertain who Fannie is.)

Responding, Bacidore said, "Give me some kind of report on this incident and the recommendation to go back please."

It is unclear whether "go back" meant returning to a policy of fire trucks responding to emergency medical calls.

In its records request, Patch sought any memo or communication about a city policy in 2015 to have fire trucks stop responding to emergency medical calls. The city did not provide any such documents. So if such a policy existed, it was likely either unwritten or irretrievable from the city's computer system.

Asked about whether there was a policy in 2015, Alderwoman Dannee Polomsky, chairwoman of the City Council's Public Affairs and Safety Committee, said she did not know.

She recommended Patch contact City Manager Jim Grabowski and Anaszewicz. Messages were left with both.