DC firefighters forced to transport patient in fire truck
The patient was suffering from a stroke and the nearest ambulance was 7 miles away
By Shomari Stone and Mark Segraves
NBC Washington
WASHINGTON — District firefighters were forced to take a man suffering from a stroke to a hospital in a fire truck Thursday evening because the closest ambulance was seven miles away.
The incident comes just two days after an injured police officer waited almost 20 minutes for an ambulance.
Now, a top city leader is calling for immediate action, reported News4's Shomari Stone. The latest case involved a man in his 80s at a home in the 600 block of Atlantic Avenue SE. His wife called 911, saying the man was suffering from a stroke, said deputy fire chief Demetrios Vlassopoulos.
Full story: Questions After Man Goes to Hospital in Fire Truck
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Alexander Smith Saturday, March 09, 2013 12:55:46 PM Hate to see something like this happening. Hopefully the DC EMS can get their act together and either work towards more efficient coverage, or add more trucks. 
Rich Gaun Saturday, March 09, 2013 1:30:25 PM But the Fire Dept is the Ambulance therefore the "city" is the owner operator. I have two words – Decreasing Budget! Alexander Smith Saturday, March 09, 2013 1:42:18 PM Oh I didn't realize! In that case, yeah, budget woes are definitely to blame.
Bryan Goodridge Saturday, March 09, 2013 2:38:27 PM If the ambulance service is charging the going rate for transports, the money should be enough to support the ambulance system. I guarantee that money is going into city general fund. After that it gets lost.
Rez Medic Saturday, March 09, 2013 5:30:09 PM And yet another example of why fire trucks should NOT respond to medical calls, only a ambulance. 
John Legg Saturday, March 09, 2013 6:00:01 PM Hold on just a second. Until all details are published, don't jump to any conclusions. For instance. If a Engine transported a pt before EMS arrived in THIS city, there would be hell to pay. Is the Engine licensed as a transport unit? I routinely respond greater than 7 miles in our city thanks to System Status Management. MANY cities around the country do this on a daily basis. Think twice be you jump to the conclusion. 
