By Tony Plohetski
The Austin American-Statesman

Acting Austin Fire Chief Jim Evans has fired a firefighter who delayed the response to a respiratory distress call for two minutes while he went to a restaurant to get something to eat, according to a disciplinary memo.

The actions of Lt. Michael Pooler demonstrated "a shocking neglect of duty," Evans said in the memo.

"Immediate response to 911 calls is the very essence of what it means to be an Austin firefighter. . . . Because of his selfish and highly unprofessional actions, he has no right to remain an Austin firefighter," the memo said.

Fire department spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane said paramedics from Travis County Emergency Medical Services reached the patient before firefighters and canceled the firefighters' response.

The patient's condition is not known.

According to the three-page document, Pooler was assigned to the department's Station 21 on Spicewood Springs Road in Northwest Austin when its crew was dispatched to the Jan. 4 call.

Pooler, who was the on-duty supervisor, then walked away from the fire station to place an order at an adjacent restaurant, the memo said.

Evans wrote that for a person in respiratory distress, two minutes can mean the difference between life and death or permanent brain injury.

Pooler could not immediately be reached for comment.

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