Working here as a Paramedic back in 2017 (Yes, the big Black man from Florida) was the WORST (almost last) decision of my entire life. I only worked EMS here for about 6 months. In that short time, I endured constant racial prejudice and disrespectful behavior from many of my coworkers.
They felt plenty comfortable using the Hard-R directly in my presence, some female staff would make off putting sexual comments in regards to Black people while looking directly at me in front of their coworkers with patients around, and when I needed treatment, I was treated like a second-class citizen by staff. When I tried to request time off for mental health, I was assigned MORE shifts by EMS leadership.
What’s worse is when I was sent to the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) - National Fire Academy for Hazmat Medic training, I ended up getting SA’ed (rear-end, arms, and crotch inappropriately touched numerous times after being told to stop), PHYSICALLY TORTURED IN A CHAIR AT GUNPOINT into falsely confessing to heinous crimes I never committed and act out horrendous scenes while they recorded on their cell phone, and nearly DELETED at gunpoint several times by two female NETC security officers.
I did NOT consent to any of this.
After surviving this and coming home back to Gillette, Campbell County Health (C.h.r.i.s.t.o.p.h.e.r. B.e.l.t.z. - EMS director who sent me to where I was physically tortured) was all too eager to terminate me, which they did, with an actual smile on their face.
I also got investigated quite a bit (they had my family, coworkers, friends, and even my girlfriend at the time helping investigate and TRY to entrap me) for the crimes I was physically tortured into falsely confessing (never charged, arrested or convicted, obviously). They’ve been TRYING to cover this up since it happened.
No mental health services were ever offered, or even suggested to me while I worked here.
My life has been hell ever since working here, but I’m still alive, which I know is disappointing for quite a few of you here who were literally betting on me to self-delete (or worse) because of the trauma they helped cause.
Moral of this story: If you’re a Black Man, working/ being a patient here might not be best for your career, reputation, mental health, or physical health.
SOME of the staff were good people, but I wouldn’t trust this hospital/organization/location with my life, or the lives of my loved ones.
After reflecting on my time working here and how they have handled/ are handling my situation, I’ve chosen to never work in healthcare again under any circumstances.
Working for people like these is NEVER worth it in the end.