Episode 583
Ambulance Driver Quits Mid-Run
An ambulance driver in Cleveland literally stopped mid-ride while taking a woman with chest pains to the Cleveland Clinic — then called an Uber to take himself home. I mean, we’re talking flashing lights, a rig full of gear, and he’s like, “Nah, I’m out,” and waits for a Toyota Camry. Thankfully another crew member jumped in and got the patient to the hospital, and the private company says they’re investigating (yeah, sure — investigate that one). We riff on how burned-out we all get, but there’s a difference between ducking a Zoom and ditching someone who might be having a heart attack. Honestly, I can already hear him at home complaining about Cleveland traffic while we’re over here like, don’t abandon people you’re trying to keep alive — tips for EMTs do not include “call an Uber.”
Takeaways:
- I tell ya, a Cleveland ambulance driver left a woman with chest pains mid-ride, then ditched to call an Uber home.
- We found out another crew member thankfully stepped in and got the patient to the Cleveland Clinic, so it didn't end worse.
- I made fun of the guy calling a Toyota Camry the solution for a flashing‑lights emergency like it was an Uber Eats swap.
- Company says it's investigating, which I mocked — what more is there to 'investigate' besides 'driver didn't want to drive'?.
- I joked about burnout, but pointed out there's a huge difference between quitting a meeting and abandoning someone during a real emergency.
Transcript
It's Haystack.
Speaker A:Have you ever had one of those days at work where you just think, that's it.
Speaker A:I'm done.
Speaker A:I'm going home?
Speaker A:Well, an ambulance driver in Cleveland had one of those days, but the problem was he was in the middle of transporting a patient in an emergency.
Speaker A:This guy's driving a woman to the Cleveland Clinic because she was having chest pains.
Speaker A:So, you know, kind of important.
Speaker A:Not exactly an Uber Eats delivery where you just leave the tacos on the porch.
Speaker A:But somewhere along the way, this driver got lost, and instead of trying to ask for directions or use GPS or, I don't know, follow the signs that say hospital, he decided he'd had enough.
Speaker A:He just said, eh, I'm done driving for the day.
Speaker A:He pulled over, and he called an Uber to take himself home.
Speaker A:An Uber?
Speaker A:This.
Speaker A:This man driving a vehicle with flashing lights, a siren, and a hundred grand worth of medical equipment and just decided, you know what would help this situation?
Speaker A:A Toyota Camry.
Speaker A:Can you imagine being the patient laying there having chest pains and worried you might be having a heart attack, and suddenly your ambulance driver says, well, ma', am, this is where I get off.
Speaker A:It's been a pleasure.
Speaker A:Don't forget to tip your emt.
Speaker A:I mean, what did he tell the Uber driver when the Uber driver showed up?
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm.
Speaker A:I'm the guy standing next to the ambulance.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:What's wrong with the ambulance?
Speaker A:Oh, oh, nothing.
Speaker A:I just don't feel like driving anymore.
Speaker A:Another crew member was there, fortunately, so they were able to step in and get the woman to the hospital.
Speaker A:The private ambulance company says it's investigating.
Speaker A:Investigating what?
Speaker A:What is there?
Speaker A:I love how people always say, we're investigating.
Speaker A:What is there to investigate?
Speaker A:Well, we've reviewed the situation, and it appears our driver did not want to drive.
Speaker A:I mean, I get being burned out at work.
Speaker A:We've all wanted to walk off the job at some point, but there is a big difference between leaving a meeting early and leaving somebody halfway through in a medical emergency.
Speaker A:I don't know what kind of employee handbook this ambulance company has, but I'm pretty sure somewhere on page one, it should say, don't abandon people we're trying to keep alive just to get to happy hour.
Speaker A:You know the worst part, though?
Speaker A:You just know that this guy got home and plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV and complained, man, the traffic in Cleveland is killing me.
