The Oklahoma governor has signed legislation into law giving firefighters the authority to transport patients to the hospital in emergency situations.
Senate Bill 1515, written by Sen. Darrell Weaver and Rep. Mike Osburn, was filed in response to a situation where an Oklahoma City firefighter was disciplined for his decision to drive a 3-year-old burn victim to the hospital in his fire truck after waiting 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. “The child’s parents were extremely grateful for the firefighter’s actions, but under the current law, he didn’t have the authority to take the patient to the hospital,” Weaver said. “SB 1515 ensures important protocols will be followed but allows flexibility in limited emergency situations. I appreciate the tremendous support we received in both chambers and from the governor for this legislation.”