After seeing the severity of the burns on a little girl, a fire major rushed the child to a hospital a few blocks away. However, instead of a promotion, the emergency responder was promptly removed from his position and faced disciplinary actions.
While her family was having dinner, 3-year-old Quinn Amme was seriously burned by boiling hot oil when the contents of a fondue pot spilled on her. Corey and Kristin Amme immediately called 911 and attempted to comfort their little girl as they waited for the Oklahoma City Fire Department (OCFD) to arrive, KFOR reports.
Within minutes, Engine 34 pulled up to the family’s home and firefighters accessed little Quinn’s injuries. The emergency responders began treating the toddler for second-degree burns but quickly realized she desperately needed medical attention they couldn’t provide. As such, they too were forced to wait for the ambulance.
“We kept asking, ‘How much longer? How much longer until they’re here?’” said Quinn’s mother, Kristin Amme. “We just had to sit there and wait and wait and wait.”
Twenty minutes after firefighters arrived on the scene, the family was still waiting for the Emergency Medical Services Authority (ESMA) ambulance. Disturbingly, a 9-1-1 dispatcher informed them it would be at least 10 more minutes of waiting. Knowing that the ambulance isn’t always as nearby as dispatch claims, OCFD Maj. Corey Britt made a critical decision to help the child.
With the permission of the family, Britt transferred the child to the fire truck and transported her and her mother to INTEGRIS Baptist Hospital, which was less than a half-mile away from their home. There, Quinn received the necessary treatment for her burns and is currently healing nicely.
“I think he made a decision not only as a first responder and a firefighter, but as a father and a fellow Oklahoman,” Kristin said. “He made the best choice for the care of his patient. I really appreciate every decision he made when the system failed us by not having an ambulance here to do that job.”
The Amme family attributes Quinn’s quick recovery to Maj. Britt’s compassion and urgency. However, instead of a hero’s welcome from his employer, Britt was soon removed from his position as Senior Company Officer at Station 34 and placed under investigation. He was informed that he faced disciplinary measures for opting to transport a patient in a fire engine to the hospital, which is against company policy.
“We don’t transport patients,” said Fire Chief Richard Kelley with Oklahoma City Fire Department. “That’s not our job.”
Britt, who is a 25-year veteran, was later told that he will be allowed to keep his pay and rank but still faces “internal corrective measures”.
EMSA admitted that their response time is often much longer than anticipated. In fact, records show that 40 times that month, the ambulance service took more than an hour to arrive at the scene. The company blamed staff shortage, emergency room delays, and new locations that are much farther from areas in which they are to respond.
“We make no bones about it,” said EMSA Chief of Operations John Graham. “We want to be transparent. We have nothing to hide. We are struggling like many, many ambulance services.”
“(The ambulances) are responding from the hospitals, which may be 15 or 20 miles from the normal location where the ambulance waits to be called,” said Deputy City Attorney Wiley Williams, who is also the Chairman of the EMSA Board.
As for the Ammes, they are indignant over the OCFD’s decision to discipline Maj. Britt. Additionally, Britt’s colleagues told KFOR that they feel the department’s reaction is unfair because “he was only trying to help the child.”
“I appreciate every decision he made when the system failed us,” Kristin Amme said. “Their performance was embarrassing. (EMSA) should be embarrassed. They should feel bad that they failed.”
Maj. Britt did what any good person would do when a child needs help, going above and beyond to ensure she received the medical attention she deserved. He held the safety of his patient above his own career, and he was punished for it.
Not only is Maj. Britt a hero, but his actions show a significant flaw in the system. When an emergency responder is forced to choose between providing adequate care for a citizen and keep their job, there is a serious problem.
