Philly Medic Facing Discipline for Texting while Driving

Posted by: Curt Varone September 9, 2015 1 Comment

A Philadelphia Fire Department medic is facing discipline following the posting of a video on Facebook showing him texting while driving an ambulance to the hospital.

The video was posted by Ebony Clarke, the mother of a patient, Jeron, who was being transported to the hospital for a head injury. Clarke was in the ambulance with Jeron, took the video during the transport and posted it on the Channel 6 Action News Facebook page.

Reporters from Channel 6 showed the video to Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer, who is now investigating the incident. Commissioner Sawyer told Channel 6 “We are going to identify the person in the video and we are going to bring him in. We’ll discipline him.”

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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