By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A Cincinnati firefighter will be counseled - but not disciplined - for his decision to leave the scene of Nathaniel Jones' fatal struggle with police in November, the fire chief said.

City safety officials will put new policies in place to make sure such an incident doesn't happen again. City Manager Valerie Lemmie has ordered that EMS crews respond to all "officer needs assistance" calls, and police officers and firefighters will receive joint training on medical treatment of restrained or violent patients.

Firefighter Gregory Adams - filling in as a company supervisor - left the West Mitchell Avenue White Castle parking lot as police struggled with the 342-pound man the morning of Nov. 30. By the time they came back to the scene one minute and 43 seconds later, Jones was dead.

But Fire Chief Robert Wright said there's no evidence Jones would have lived if firefighters had stayed on the scene.

"The reasoning behind his company's departure is troubling and does not comport with my personal opinion of good judgment or common sense," Wright said in a memo to the city manager this week. "However, I believe that it was an honest execution of his interpretation of the Fire Department policies and procedures."

Wright said Adams' conduct ordinarily would not have resulted in a disciplinary hearing except for the high-profile nature of the incident. He said Adams should have erred in favor of the patient and communicated better with police.

Adams will be restricted from supervisory duties until he receives further training.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com