OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A disciplinary hearing was held Friday afternoon for an Oklahoma City Fire Department Major who rushed a young burn victim to the hospital in his fire engine after waiting 20 minutes for an ambulance.

Firefighters with knowledge about the disciplinary action tell KFOR that Maj. Corey Britt has been relieved of his role as a Senior Company Officer at Station 34.

Britt was forced to sneak out the back of Station One Friday afternoon following his disciplinary hearing at headquarters.


“We don’t transport patients,” said Fire Chief Richard Kelley with Oklahoma City Fire Department. “That’s not our job.”

Kelley says this policy is also a state statute.

Friday, the veteran of 25 years learned he will keep his pay and rank but will face what the chief calls “internal corrective measures”.

Chief Kelley says the initial complaint against Britt came from EMSA, the emergency service that was more than 20 minutes late during the call on Christmas Eve.

“Most of the times those calls are excellent, but if you miss the mark, we talk about it and correct it as necessary,” Deputy Chief Mike Walters with the Oklahoma City Fire Department said.

EMSA ambulance
7:05:10 P.M. – Engine 34 was dispatched on a medical call of a toddler with second degree burns all over her body

7:05:55 P.M. Brush-Pumper 32 was added to the incident

7:09:59 P.M. Brush-Pumper 32 arrived on the scene and initiated patient care

7:13:17 P.M. Engine 34 and Major Britt arrived on the scene and assisted with patient care

7:17:55 P.M. Major Britt requested that EMSA upgrade their response from a Priority 2 to a Priority 1

7:17:59 P.M. EMSA response status changed to Priority 1

7:22:00 P.M. Major Britt requests an ETA of EMSA. EMSA was responding from the “Mercy” Area and had been on the road route for 4 minutes

7:29:44 P.M. Major Britt informed dispatch to cancel EMSA because these people decided to go POV due to the nature of the emergency

7:30:00 P.M. Major Britt asks OKCFD Dispatch if they were clear to cancel EMSA

OKCFD Fire Dispatch relayed that EMSA just advised that they are right around the corner on this call.

Engine 34 responds, “I’m clear. They’re going.”

With no sign of EMSA, Britt decided the little girl couldn’t wait and drove her to the hospital himself.

OKCFD says the Automatic Vehicle Locator on the EMSA unit indicated that it was less than 1/2 mile from the scene when canceled by Engine 34.

“The firefighters have heard it before: ‘We are right around the corner or we are almost there,'” KFOR Anchor Ali Meyer asked. “In some cases, it’s more than an hour. Does that mindset, the pattern and the delays play a role in the firefighter’s state of mind?”

“It could,” Walker said. “It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the officer’s state of mind, but on the other side, we are trained to deal with these emergencies.”

The Amme’s family, however, says their little girl is forever grateful for Britt’s decision.

“I appreciate every decision he made when the system failed us,” Kristin Amme said.

Some of Britt’s colleagues also say they stand in support. They didn’t want to go on camera, but told us, “None of the firefighters feel like this is fair. Yes, we know he broke policy, but he was only trying to help the child.”

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I wonder if the f.d. and ems are two different agencies. Two tier systems can cause issues where no issues need to be.

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Why the fuck was the response time over 20 min?
That’s Detroit during the Great Recession kinda shit.

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Given the circumstances as presented.   I would take that that discipline without any remorse.


Fwiw, his chief level management needs to grow a spine.

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As the brother of a FF/Medic who has saved lives, I applaud the Major's decision to transport but do understand why he must face the music.

If they let this rule slide, what's to stop someone from breaking the next rule?  Slippery slope.

My brother responded to a rollover minivan on the expressway.   Vehicle was upside down in the ditch.  Driver suffered a spinal cord injury, no sensation from neck down.

My brother tells one of the FF that he is calling for LifeFlight and to inform the state trooper that he needs to shut down the expressway.

FF comes back and says, "Trooper said you're not shutting down his expressway"

Wrong answer.  My brother went to the trooper and said, "I have a patient w/ a spinal cord injury.  I'm calling in Life Flight and I'm shutting down the expressway" and with that he hopped up into the engine and parked it sideways across the expressway.

I love telling that story

Quoted:
As the brother of a FF/Medic who has saved lives, I applaud the Major's decision to transport but do understand why he must face the music.

If they let this rule slide, what's to stop someone from breaking the next rule?  Slippery slope.

My brother responded to a rollover minivan on the expressway.   Vehicle was upside down in the ditch.  Driver suffered a spinal cord injury, no sensation from neck down.

My brother tells one of the FF that he is calling for LifeFlight and to inform the state trooper that he needs to shut down the expressway.

FF comes back and says, "Trooper said you're not shutting down his expressway"

Wrong answer.  My brother went to the trooper and said, "I have a patient w/ a spinal cord injury.  I'm calling in Life Flight and I'm shutting down the expressway" and with that he hopped up into the engine and parked it sideways across the expressway.

I love telling that story

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I love the feud between RB and Lug1.

Quoted:
As the brother of a FF/Medic who has saved lives, I applaud the Major's decision to transport but do understand why he must face the music.

If they let this rule slide, what's to stop someone from breaking the next rule?  Slippery slope.

Quoted:
Given the circumstances as presented.   I would take that that discipline without any remorse.


Fwiw, his chief level management needs to grow a spine.

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FUCK THOSE MEDICS AND THE DEPARTMENT.  

Save lives or go sit on the curb.

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That’s happened a few times too and it’s ended up with the firefighter in handcuffs.  

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Where is the slippery slope? THE ONLY argument that could possibly be made is, that truck and personnel were not available to respond to a call.

If anyone here works with Chief Kelley, hey chief, you can suck my dick you stupid asshole. You major deserved a quiet commendation, dumbass.

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I almost made that call a couple times myself, but didn't for fear of what's happening to this guy.  Sometimes you just don't have enough EMT's.

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Be ironic if the medics house was on fire and the response time was say 2 days.

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Jesus Christ

Quoted:
FUCK THOSE MEDICS AND THE DEPARTMENT.  

Save lives or go sit on the curb.

“Most of the times those calls are excellent, but if you miss the mark, we talk about it and correct it as necessary,” Deputy Chief Mike Walters with the Oklahoma City Fire Department said, "Sure, your kid will be dead, but at least we all had a chat and maybe put a nasty letter in some EMS guy's file".

Quoted:
As the brother of a FF/Medic who has saved lives, I applaud the Major's decision to transport but do understand why he must face the music.

If they let this rule slide, what's to stop someone from breaking the next rule?  Slippery slope.

Quoted:
I love the feud between RB and Lug1.

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Anyone who tells a child with burns he has to wait for union cocksucker to show up instead of being transported to a hospital is plain evil.