Everyday Hero Alerts New City EMT To Ambulance Fire

CLARKSTOWN, N.Y. – Usually it’s the emergency medical technicians who save lives, but in this case, a civilian returned the favor, says an official from the New City Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

A rig owned by the New City Ambulance Corps was severely damaged by fire Thursday, but thanks to the quick actions of a passerby, no one was hurt.
Photo Credit: *New City Ambulance Corps/Facebook*

A rig belonging to the New City Ambulance Corps goes up in flames on Congers Road Thursday night. The emergency medical technician driving it escaped unharmed, thanks to the quick actions of a passerby.
Photo Credit: *New City Ambulance Corps*

Carol Reif

06/02/2016 7:30 a.m.

An emergency medical technician was piloting an ambulance along Congers Road near Route 304 Thursday night when she noticed something seemed to be wrong with the rig’s engine.

She had just pulled over and was calling the situation in to the corps mechanic, when the passerby, Cassidy Cokeley noticed sparks coming from the ambulance’s engine and started shouting to alert her.

The EMT exited the vehicle just moments before it went up in flames, according to the corps’ president, Carol Ackerman.

“We are very grateful for the quick thinking of one of our community members,” said Ackerman. “It really saved the day.”

Firefighters knocked down the blaze in time for ambulance crews to retrieve valuable equipment from the back.

While the ambulance was severely damaged in the fire, no one was injured.

Cokeley was really “an everyday hero,” Ackerman said.

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