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Concerned citizen contacts Channel 9 after seeing emergency responders in ambulance
Concerned citizen contacts Channel 9 after seeing emergency responders in ambulance
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
Two local emergency-service workers are under investigation after they were caught sleeping on the job.
A viewer contacted Channel 9 when he spotted the two sleeping in a Rural/Metro ambulance in a gas station parking lot.
On Wednesday, officials with Rural/Metro told Channel 9’s Stephanie Bertini that they are looking into whether the two violated policy.
Azizzi Rucker said he could barely believe his eyes when he pulled up to the gas station Sunday afternoon. He took two photos and called Channel 9 after he said he tried to wake them.
Photos: Emergency workers sleeping in ambulance
“I sat there for five minutes blowing the horn and they were asleep and didn’t wake up,” said Rucker. “I was blowing the horn and they didn’t even know I was right there beside them.”
The gas station is at 37th Street and John Young Parkway, an area that sees a lot of traffic. Rucker said that’s what made it seem so bold to him.
Bertini spoke with a company representative and emailed the photos.
She was told the photos would be used as part of an internal investigation because it is against company policy for emergency-service responders to sleep in their vehicle.
“These pictures are concerning. We take this type of issue very seriously. We have already begun an investigation into the matter,” Bertini was told in a statement from the company.
Rucker said his actions were all about defending public safety.
“People have loved ones. They depend on paramedics and they were in there sleeping,” Rucker said.
A Rural/Metro representative said the company has a designated area for workers to sleep and shifts never exceed 16 hours.