Philly mom: Ambulance driver texting while driving son

Action News Exclusive

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Wednesday, September 9, 2015
VIDEO: Philly mom: Ambulance driver texting while driving son
A Philadelphia mother says she was stunned to see the ambulance driver who was taking her son to the hospital was texting behind the wheel.

PHILADEPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia mother says she was stunned to see the ambulance driver who was taking her son to the hospital was texting behind the wheel.

Ebony Clarke posted video of the incident to the Action News Facebook page.

Clarke said she recorded the video of the driver using different apps as her son, Jeron, was rushed to Albert Einstein Medical Center for a cut on his head he suffered while playing with cousins.

Clarke claims the unidentified driver never put down his phone.

We showed the video to Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer.

"I was disgusted," Sawyer said.

Commissioner Sawyer says department policy is no cell phone usage is allowed while driving. That includes surfing the internet, texting or talking.

"We are going to identify the person in the video and we are going to bring him in. We'll discipline him," said Sawyer.

What that discipline will be, Commissioner Sawyer couldn't say.

Clarke tells Action News off camera she felt compelled to record the driver so something could be done to make sure she and others in need from Philadelphia EMT's are safe.

"As the fire commissioner, I want to apologize to her personally because this is not what we train our medics to do, what we train any of our drivers to do," Sawyer said.

Commissioner Sawyer says 95% of his department do the right thing and follow rules and regulation but, like any organization, there are those who don't.