Fla. FF/Medic Charged After Flipping Hospice Patient off Backboard

A Florida firefighter/paramedic has been suspended with pay accused of flipping a Hospice patient off a backboard.

Kenneth Hallenback has been suspended by Brevard County Fire Rescue following the incident at Wuesthoff Medical Center, according to WFTV.com.

"The best evidence is when he refused to get off the backboard repeatedly. It sounded like the paramedic flipped the backboard to remove him," Rockledge Police Lt. Donna Seyferth told reporters. 

He was charged with abuse of the elderly or disabled.

There is a video of the incident, and officers also interviewed witnesses. 

The 11-year veteran faces a disciplinary hearing with the county fire department next week, the station reported. 

"I'm very surprised because generally your whole focus is, your welfare of your patient. Now I'm speaking as a former paramedic," assistant state attorney Gary Beatty told reporters. 

Watch video

This isn't the first incident involving Hallenbeck. He was suspended in 2006 for an incident related to an argument with another firefighter/paramedic and in 2008 for not completing patient-care reports within 24 hours, the station reported.