Heroic EMT Suspended Without Pay for Helping Choking Girl

An heroic New York City EMT, who tried to save a choking seven-year old school girl's life, says he’s been suspended without pay for breaking company policy.

Qwasi Reed, who works for Assist Ambulance, jumped out of his private ambulance to help an unresponsive 7-year-old. The 25-year-old was stopped at a red light while transporting a nursing home patient with a co-worker by a frantic teacher.

Reid tells Fox News his partner told the teacher they couldn’t help because they already had a patient. Reid said he knew the choking girl took priority over a transport and he jumped into action.

When Reid ran inside Public School 250 in Williamsburg, he found the girl on the school floor, lifeless and covered in blood. “She was unresponsive. Her face was blue. Nobody was doing anything,” Reid told the New York Daily News. “She was definitely choking. I cleared the airway.”

Sadly, despite his heroic efforts, the 7-year-old girl, Noelia Echavarria, is brain dead. She’s on life support at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York.

Reid was suspended without pay because it’s against Assistant Ambulance policy to leave a patient. Despite that, Reid believes he did the right thing and says he would do it again.

New York residents have setup a GoFundMe page to recognize his efforts and help offset some of his lost wages.