STAFFORD, Va. — Two volunteer firefighters who were suspended for rushing a sick toddler to the hospital in their fire engine instead of waiting for an ambulance will be reinstated.
Stafford County Fire Chief Mark Lockhart announced the reinstatement of Captain James Kelley and Sergeant Virgil Bloom, with the Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department, Monday afternoon.
“It is my desire to conclude this matter with the leadership at Falmouth and get these members back to doing the good work of Stafford County fire and rescue,” Lockhart said.
Kelley says the 18-month old girl suffered a seizure and was limp and her skin-coloring blue when they raced her to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.
Bloom was at the wheel of the fire engine. Both were suspended following the Feb. 27 incident.
Kelley, who previously said that he had no regrets about how they handled the medical call, said he was pleased with the Lockhart’s decision.
“I’m just happy to be back in an active status and being able to protect the citizens of Stafford County,” Kelley said.
Still the matter remains under investigation by the state and Lockhart said the two volunteers violated policy by using the engine and that they did not follow proper medical protocols. The two volunteers also lacked state certification to work as emergency medical technicians however they are nationally certified EMTs and Lockhart said that was an administrative matter that would also need to be resolved.
Still, Lockhart said the decision to transport the toddler in the fire engine was based on the information known at the time about the availability of the ambulance. He noted that emergency scenes are fluid and that calls involving children can be particularly tense and stressful.
The Virginia State Office of Emergency Medical Services has launched an investigation into the incident and the two firefighters could still face sanctions ranging from a verbal warning to criminal prosecution.
The Office of Emergency Medical Services has 30 days or more to determine if the firefighters violated state EMS regulations.
The father of the girl, who has made a full recovery, says the firefighters are heroes. The firefighters have received an outpouring of support on a Facebook page advocating their reinstatement.
Kelley says he was aware of rules against using a fire engine to transport someone in medical need, but he disregarded them because it was unclear when an ambulance would arrive. He and Bloom were 3 minutes from the hospital.
“It was the right decision at the right time and I would do it ten times out of ten,” Kelley says.
WTOP’s Dick Uliano and Amanda Iacone plus The Associated Press contributed to this report.
