Ambulance Took 14 Minutes to Reach Secret Service Officer Hit by Car

The D.C. 911 call center is reviewing the incident, a representative said

The U.S. Secret Service officer who was hit by a car as he rode a motorcycle near the White House on Monday had to wait 14 minutes for a paramedic and ambulance to arrive on the scene, officials say.

The officer needed an advance life support ambulance unit, but the closest available unit was four miles away, the D.C. fire department tells News4.

The first emergency call regarding the crash at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW came in about 1:25 p.m., records show. The ambulance arrived at 1:40 p.m., and the injured officer was taken to a hospital via helicopter at 1:51 p.m.

A D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman said all 16 advance life support units were operational Monday when the call regarding the officer came in, but the closest available unit was in Upper Northwest D.C., on Georgia Avenue NW.

"DC Fire & EMS always strives to provide the most comprehensive, compassionate and timely care — and we are always working at improving the many aspects of the EMS care FEMS administers in the field," the spokesman said in a statement.

The 911 call center is reviewing the incident, a representative said.

A fire engine was on the scene within 3 minutes of the initial call, but that engine did not have a paramedic on board.

No information on the cause of the crash was released. An update on the officer's condition was unavailable.

Contact Us