EMT Punished for Breaking the Rules to Save a Sick Child
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r.prince18
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A volunteer EMT was suspended for breaking the rules to help a sick child. Stephen Sawyer, 20, was the only person around when a call came in about a four-year-old having a seizure.
After making several unsuccessful calls for ambulances, Sawyer said he made the decision to drive the ambulance to save the child – violating the rule that only people age 21 or older can drive the emergency vehicle.
The Ellenville board of directors suspended Sawyer and revoked his title as an advisor from the Youth Squad. He subsequently resigned.
Sawyer told the Times Herald-Record, “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night or go to school knowing there’s a four-year-old suffering. [… ] As far as police wise, the guys and girls on the board need to rethink policies for the good of the community. People shouldn’t have to suffer over policy.”
The captain and board member of the Ellenville First Aid & Rescue told the paper, “It seems very black and white, and it’s not very black and white. This is the type of story that the public doesn’t need to be told. There’s no value to this story other than shock value and gossip.”
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/12/29/emt-punished-breaking-rules-save-sick-child
Comments
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A child lives because he took matters into his own hands and he's suspended but somehow "There’s no value to this story other than shock value and gossip"?
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? is ? up...but I see no issue here. I'm pretty sure dude knew before he hopped behind the wheel that he would be disciplined, but he chose to go anyway.
Good for him, he made the right choice. But...he was disciplined. I've done plenty of ? like that. I always knew what I was getting myself into. -
Good kid. He did the right thing, obviously the captain doesn't want to be seen as a bad guy but that comment makes him sound much worse.
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“It seems very black and white, and it’s not very black and white. This is the type of story that the public doesn’t need to be told. There’s no value to this story other than shock value and gossip.”
When a public official who draws his paycheck from taxpayers says some ? like that - it's time for them to go. -
If saving the child was the most important thing and he broke the rules for the sake of the child why make it a story? Why make a stink? Should they drop the rule to make it possible for a 17 year old to do it? He did a great thing no doubt but the rule is the rule for a reason, if you don't enforce it then what's the point?
Another thing people are missing is he let his emotions come into play which he shouldn't have as a paramedic. Especially a volunteer 20 ur old paramedic which is qualified to do what exactly?
Really he just wants recognition for the ? . Cause if it was really about the kid it wouldn't have mattered cause the kid is straight. He could've took that suspension easy. He wanted the heroes welcome.
? love to complain tho... -
"A good man must not follow the law too well." - some wise muthafucka
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If there's anyone who earned one of those internet donation drives to cover the money they'd lose, it's this guy.
Good for him. Most times, the rules are meant to ? people over, not help them. -
What did he lose? Volunteers don't get paid
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I'm sure his supervisors didn't want to discipline him, but it's a necessary evil to prevent any type of precedents. In the medical industry, safety and procedure and rank & file are about as important as they are in the military.
When people in the medical field step out of their role, people die.
It's like that even when a doctor is around to help out someone who collapses or whatever in public. You don't go beyond your training. For example, if I am around and someone collapses, i can do whatever i've been trained to do, but if I don't have emergency training, as a medical student, I am only obliged to help as much as I can without potentially further harming the patient.
A good example is when flight attendants are trained to use a defibrillator. Not all doctors are trained immediately to use a defibrillator. So if someone needs a defibrillator on a plane and a doctor isn't as trained in using one as the flight attendant, he will do whatever he can and then let the flight attendant do the defibrillation to ensure the patient gets the best care without potentially doing harm. One of the very first things any medical student learns they are obliged to in all aspects of medicine is the principle of "do no harm", however that presents itself.
So it's easy to understand why he had to be disciplined even though he probably did the right thing. -
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He did what he felt was necessary according to his own code of conduct.
Money is protected by rules and laws. Life is protected by decisions about rules and laws. He made his decision, and saved a life. -
If there's anyone who earned one of those internet donation drives to cover the money they'd lose, it's this guy.
Good for him. Most times, the rules are meant to ? people over, not help them.
Does this guy seem like George Zimmerman to you? He ain't getting ? but a thank you. -
*makes personal note not to ever step out if my position even if it's to save someone's life if I'm working under s.free*
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Saved his life from a seizure? Aint ? you can do about someone havinga a seizure plus they arent life threatening. Shoulda stayed his ass at the fire station.
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*makes personal note not to ever step out if my position even if it's to save someone's life if I'm working under s.free*
? right. You step out of pockect and that kid dies I'm supposed to get sued? Play your ? position. Dude was a ? volunteer he wasn't qualified to do ? . Yes he did a great thing but he was lucky. Easily could've went the other way.
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The system is ?
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A.Q.A (always question authority)
