EMT suspended for leaving ambulance to save a choking child
A New York City EMT has been suspended without pay because he made an unauthorized stop - to try to save a little girl who was choking on her lunch...
A New York City EMT has been suspended without pay because he made an unauthorized stop – to try to save a little girl who was choking on her lunch.
Qwasie Reid said that he administered aid to the choking girl against his partner’s urging when a man flagged them down to say that a student was choking. He said that he believed the girl took priority over the nursing home transport patient.
“She was blue in the face and lips. No response. Unconscious unresponsive,” Reid told local TV station WABC. He said that he cleaned her mouth, put an oxygen mask on her, used a defibrillator and started CPR. However, his actions were in vain, because the girl was declared brain dead and is on a ventilator in the hospital.
But Reid said he was doing what his conscience told him he was supposed to do.
“I don’t regret it,” he said. “I’d do it again. If I know there’s a child choking, I’m going to do my best to help her. I made a vow to save a life. If I had to jump out of the ambulance again, I’d do anything. I pray to God she feels better.”
“As an EMT, I don’t care about your money,” Reid told dnainfo.com. “There was a child choking. I’m worried about them firing me, but I did a good deed. I just feel like I’m being penalized for something and I haven’t done anything wrong.”
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