Four Hillsborough County firefighters spent Monday fighting for their jobs, even though their union believes it’s a loosing effort.
The four were suspended by county administrator Mike Merrill after a 911 call led them to the home of Crystle Galloway, 30, on the 4th of July.
Galloway’s mother says her daughter had recently given birth by Cesarean section a few days earlier and was having trouble in the early morning hours of the 4th and had passed out in her bathroom.
When the fire medics arrived, Nicole Black claims they were more interested in talking about the cost of the ambulance transport than they were taking her by ambulance to the hospital.
Black says they begged for an hour for the firefighters to take her daughter to the hospital.
A spokesperson for the firefighters’ union strongly disagrees with that version of events.
“These firefighters never had anything to say about cost. They don’t show up and say, ‘hey show me your insurance card,'” said Travis Horn.
The firefighters’ union also disputes that they talked about the transport for an hour, saying the record shows Nicole Black took her daughter to an urgent care facility in her own car less than 15 minutes after they first arrived.
The firefighters who are suspended are Lt. John “Mike” Morris, 36, fire medic Justin Sweeney, 36, fire medic Andrew J. Martin, 28, and acting Lt. Cortney Barton, 38.
None of them were allowed to speak to media because of the ongoing investigation, but Jeanette Gialousakis is the partner of Courtney Barton and says the investigation has been devastating to them.
“Courtney cries every day. It’s disrupted out family. She is the most honest person I’ve ever met in my life. I mean, I call her Mother Theresa sometimes because she is so honest,” said Gialousakis.
Travis Horn called the proceedings a “kangaroo court,” adding that Merrill has already made up his mind that he will fire at least two of those involved.
“The county manager over there in his ivory tower shot from the hip. He spoke out of turn and didn’t give these four firefighters any due process. He concluded they were wrong from the get go before he ever gathered any facts,” said Horn.
