EMT posts picture to Facebook of person who shot themselves in head
State orders fine, suspension & retraining for South Carolina EMT
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This is about as blatant and stupid as it gets with SMACSS (Social Media Assisted Career Suicide Syndrome). How can you be in EMS and not know that taking pictures of your patients and sharing them on social media is wrong? How can you be in EMS and think–even for a moment–that snapping photos of a dead body you encounter during work and posting them to Facebook is even a little bit okay?
Trevor Sizemore describes himself on his Facebook page this way, “I’m a workaholic EMT. I love skateboarding, motorcycles and art.” Recently, South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) became interested in something that used to be on Sizemore’s Facebook page. It was a picture of a dead person who had shot themselves in the head in March of last year. Sizemore and his Greenwood County EMS partner responded to the call to assist that person. According to yesterday’s (Wednesday) DHEC agenda (above) it was Sizemore who took that picture, using his personal cell phone.
The DHEC document also says that Sizemore has to agreed to pay a fine, lose his EMT certificate for three months and take an ethics and leadership course. What none of the articles say, so far, is Sizemore’s status with his employer, Greenwood County EMS.
The New York Post’s Chris Perez contacted Trevor Sizemore and had this interesting exchange:
When contacted by The Post, Sizemore initially refused to comment — saying he didn’t believe he was speaking to a “legit” reporter. He later downplayed his punishment and claimed that he had not been “disciplined.”
“I’m clearly suspended and not active,” Sizemore said in a FB message. “Leave me alone…FBI notified.”
Sizemore later wrote back, claiming he was innocent and that it would be “proven very soon.”
“Through polygraph, court, so be it,” he said, adding: “Why don’t you write your article on the good things I’ve done for people? What is wrong with you?”
