Medic falls asleep at wheel, crashes ambulance
The ambulance was reportedly completely destroyed in the incident
By EMS1 Staff
YANKTON, S.D. — A medic fell asleep at the wheel of an ambulance Tuesday morning, causing a crash that saw another medic ejected from the vehicle and seriously injured.
Authorities say the ambulance was transporting patients to the hospital when the medic driving fell asleep and crashed into an abandoned pickup truck, according to the Press & Dakotan.
A medic who was in the back of the ambulance suffered severe but non-life threatening injuries. Three other people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
The ambulance was reportedly completely destroyed in the incident.
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Liz Powers Moore Thursday, March 07, 2013 1:19:14 PM This was always my greatest fear when working busy 24 hour shifts. 
Lesa Gonzalez Thursday, March 07, 2013 2:23:13 PM The article does not say why he fell asleep. Was he working overtime or on a 24 hour shift? 
Jamie Freeman Thursday, March 07, 2013 4:48:30 PM Clarification on the article, even though the article was out of Yankton, SD the ambulance was an Eagle Butte Ambulance transporting to Rapid City. 
Jonathan Barfield Thursday, March 07, 2013 6:49:14 PM I don't see why rules for driving an ambulance aren't closer to those for commercial drivers license. This is just going to be a continually growing trend. 
Kay BairdCraigg Friday, March 08, 2013 4:48:59 AM I work as an EMT in Barbados I read this news letter daily and daily I say a prayer for all EMS worldwide it makes me aware if the constant dangers we are faced with daily I'm more alert on the roads and drive more cautiously Kay BairdCraigg Friday, March 08, 2013 4:52:04 AM We are only human and work long hours and will be tired at some point for me that is when you work as a team let your partner drive I do Liz Powers Moore Friday, March 08, 2013 6:44:58 AM I was partnered for a good while with a medic who could not drive. Even better, he would go in the back and sleep while we did not have a pt. Creep.
Melinda Teaster Williams Friday, March 08, 2013 7:14:01 AM More information would be nice.
was this a routine transfer early morning from hospital to hospital after a long 24 hour shift? 
Coulter Anderson Friday, March 08, 2013 7:46:35 AM We do 24 hour shift followed by 24 hour recall.....a very good chance of being up, and trying to drive, after 36 or more hours with no sleep.....been there..... 
Wayland Slater Monday, March 11, 2013 3:34:08 PM In '84, at the tender age of 18, I was hired by a private ambulance service. At any given time there were just 3-5 full time employees. It was 24/6. Yes, you had 24 hrs. off a week. You lived at the ambulance building. Luckily we did have several paid/call part-timers. Back then, it was not uncommon to be up for 28-32 hrs., get four hours of sleep, then go another 24 hrs. What was bad was the Interstate transfers. Many times you'd already been going 18 hrs. then a transfer would come. If you were up in rotation, you took it. Many times, usually on the way back when you didn't have a patient and you didn't have that adrenaline flowing and the nurse is asleep, you'd definately get the "nods". I can honestly say it was only by the Grace of God I never wrecked, and it didn't happen as often as it could have. At least by the mid 80's rules changed.
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