N.Y. EMT Suspended For Driving Sick Child to Hospital

Dec. 31, 2013
A 20-year-old volunteer Ellenville EMT was given a 60-day suspension violating rules requiring ambulance drivers to be at least 21. He's since resigned.

Dec. 31--An upstate New York volunteer emergency medical technician resigned from his job after receiving a 60-day suspension for helping a 4-year-old who was having a seizure.

The EMT, Stephen Sawyer, 20, was suspended because he was too young to drive the ambulance that transported the child to the hospital on Dec. 11, according to media reports. Rules of the Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad require ambulance drivers be at least 21.

Reports say Sawyer, who was also a squad leader, decided to drive the emergency vehicle after he called four ambulance services and none were available.

The Monday after the emergency call, the squad's board of directors decided to suspend Sawyer, who is also a volunteer firefighter. The body also voted to revoke his title on the communications committee and his title as adviser from the Youth Squad that he restarted as a 15-year-old squad member.

Sawyer was reportedly so shocked by the decision that he resigned on the spot.

Read more here and here.

Copyright 2013 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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