Paramedic killed in Delaware is identified
From our friend Mike Ward, Associate Director, Emergency Health Services, Department of Emergency Medicine, at The George Washington University:
I am sad to share the news that Sussex County paramedic and GWU graduate Stephanie Callaway died this morning in an ambulance accident in Delaware. In addition to working as a paramedic, Stephanie was the public information officer for the ems agency.
Steve McGraw, Keith Monosky and I remember meeting Stephanie’s husband, parents and grandparents at the Health Science graduation ceremony.
I think the quote from a GWU EHS adjunct faculty member sums it up:
“We are having our worst day,” said Sussex County EMS Director Glenn Luedtke. “We are a family.”
Chuck Snyder photos from delmarvanow.com
Delaware State Police have identified the victims of a fatal ambulance crash this morning on Route 24 as Sussex County paramedic Stephanie L. Callaway, 31, of Lewes and a patient, Betty J. Hall, 82, also of Lewes.
Callaway and Hall died when the ambulance they were in hit a tree en route to Beebe Hospital with its emergency equipment activated.
The driver of the ambulance, Michael E. Wissman, 34 of Frankford, who is employed by Mid-Sussex Rescue Squad, was injured and has been admitted to Beebe Hospital in stable condition. He was wearing a seatbelt.
Another Mid-Sussex emergency medical technician, Brice H. Hickman, 47, of Dagsboro was also severely injured and is in Beebe Hospital in serious condition, police said.
Police said the ambulance had just picked up Hickman from Renaissance Nursing and Rehabilitation Center located in Long Neck.
The accident happened at 2:40 a.m. when the driver maneuvered to the right shoulder in an attempt to avoid a deer. The rear box portion of the ambulance struck a tree opening up right side of the vehicle. The ambulance then hit some more trees before coming to rest on the right shoulder, police said.
Callaway was in the rear of the ambulance attending to the patient.
Police said Callaway, Hall and Hickman were all ejected from the ambulance.
Police said Route 24 was closed for several hours.
