2 Paramedics May Lose Their Licenses Due to a Technicality After Saving a Man Who Was Bitten by a Poisonous Snake

Two first responders successful Kentucky could perchance suffer their licences aft saving a man’s life.

Powell County paramedic Eddie Barnes and 1 of his squad members were called to nan Kentucky Reptile Zoo successful May aft nan zoo’s co-director, James Harrison, was bitten by a venomous mamba snake, section news outlet LEX 18 reported.

Barnes told nan outlet that he and his teammate went pinch Harrison to nan airdrome to hold for a aesculapian helicopter. While they were waiting, Harrison told them he needed antivenom arsenic soon arsenic imaginable — and that he had brought his ain from nan zoo.

"He said nan first portion of nan shape is paralysis, 2nd portion is respiratory arrest, 3rd portion is cardiac arrest. He said, 'I'm gonna die,' " Barnes recalled while speaking to nan outlet.

Barnes said he attempted to telephone his supervisor, who didn’t answer, and truthful he past reached retired to Clark Regional Medical Center and said to an ER expert who “gave america permission” to administer nan antivenom.

Now, Barnes and his teammate whitethorn suffer their EMS licenses owed to a technicality: Only first responders classified arsenic “wilderness paramedics” are authorized to administer antivenom, per nan Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS), according to LEX 18. The argumentation was put successful spot 2 years ago, per nan outlet.

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

Neither Barnes nor his partner had wilderness paramedic certification astatine nan clip of nan incident, and they now person a hearing scheduled for Sept. 30 to find retired if they will get to support their licenses.

In a connection to LEX 18, Eddie Slone, executive head of KBEMS, said that “a preliminary investigation is completed” whenever nan committee receives a title aliases “allegations of a imaginable usurpation of regulations.”

Slone further stated that astir investigations that lead to hearings are either dismissed aliases are resolved pinch nan duty of continued training and education.

Barnes is displeased pinch really nan events person yet unfolded. “If we had sat location and let him die, past we would person been morally and ethically responsible, and we could person been criminally charged for his death,” he said while speaking to section news outlet Fox 10.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly tin you lick it? Play now!

“If it came down today, I would do nan aforesaid thing. You cannot put a value connected a person’s life,” Barnes added.

Harrison’s wife, Kristen Wiley, who is nan laminitis and co-director of nan zoo, said she is personally grateful for nan actions taken by Barnes and his teammate that day.

“Every expert that we’ve talked to astir it, and astir nan people of nan bite, agrees that they were heroes and did what needed to beryllium done to prevention him. That’s who I want moving connected maine successful an emergency,” she told Fox 10.

PEOPLE reached retired to nan Clark Regional Medical Center and nan Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services for remark connected Saturday, Sept. 27, but did not person contiguous responses.