When Saving a Life Is Against the Rules, Who Are We Really Protecting?

By Michael R. Grigsby | Editor | Somerset-Pulaski County Advocate

A Jameson's mamba snake bit Jim Harrison, co-director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. That snake's bite can cause paralysis and respiratory failure. (File photo by © Brandon Elijah Scott / www.BrandonElijahScott.com)

FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY (SPA)- In a world that often feels short on heroes, we were just handed a stark reminder of what one looks like. His name is Eddie Barnes, a Powell County paramedic who, along with his colleague, faced a gut-wrenching choice: follow a rule to the letter or save a man’s life. They chose life. For their heroism, they were rewarded with the threat of losing their licenses.

The case, which mercifully ended this week with the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) dismissing all disciplinary proceedings, should serve as a five-alarm fire for medical regulators everywhere. The paramedics administered life-saving antivenom to renowned snake expert Jim Harrison following a severe bite. Mr. Harrison and his family have been unequivocal, calling the paramedics "heroes who did what needed to be done." The public agreed. Medical professionals agreed. Yet, for a terrifying period, the system did not.

The paramedics found themselves in professional jeopardy because administering that specific treatment fell just outside their rigidly defined scope of practice. This is not just a Kentucky problem; it is a systemic one. We task our first responders with running toward danger and making impossible decisions under immense pressure, yet we bind them with regulations so inflexible they can punish the very act of saving a life.

As Senator Brandon Smith of Hazard rightly stated, "No regulation should place red tape above human life or leave first responders fearing punishment for making the right call in a crisis." His gratitude for the case's dismissal is matched only by his urgent call to action—a call that we must all echo. This single incident, which captured national attention, is not an anomaly. It is a symptom of a regulatory framework that has failed to keep pace with the realities of emergency medicine

From the KBEMS Ruling in this matter,

"The Preliminary Inquiry Board or PIB has asked me to make a statement on its behalf regarding the disposition of Case Nos. 2025-038 and 2025-039, the Powell County snake bite matter in order to clarify misunderstanding and confusion in public commentary and media reporting of the matter.

Disciplinary cases before the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services or KBEMS are governed by statute and regulations found in KRS Chapter 311A and 202 KAR Chapter 7. The PIB is part of that statutory process, and serves a role analogous to that of the Grand Jury in a criminal case. As you have seen today, the PIB considered the results of an investigation conducted by KBEMS staff, any statements license holders might choose to make on their own behalf, as well as those made by affected parties. The PIB makes one of two decisions, either to dismiss a case or refer it for further proceedings. Contrary to what has been suggested in several reports, neither of the two providers ever received notification their license may be revoked. The PIB does not have the authority to impose final disciplinary action.

Turning to the facts of this case, the matter was initiated by a self report to KBEMS by the licensees, who recognized they had acted outside the scope of their practice in administering the anti-venom medication. Their action was a violation of statute and regulation. Despite that admitted violation, the PIB determined that dismissal of the case was appropriate considering (1) the licensees self reported the violation, and (2) the unique circumstances faced by the licensees here.

Neither the PIB nor other KBEMS personnel will comment further on the matter. Thank you."

KBEMS Exec. Director Eddie Sloan

While we can all breathe a sigh of relief that Mr. Barnes and his colleague have been vindicated, our work is not done. The dismissal is a victory for common sense, but the flawed rule that created this crisis remains on the books. What happens next time? Will another paramedic, recalling this case, hesitate for a fatal second, weighing their patient’s life against their own livelihood?

That hesitation is a price we cannot afford. We must empower our frontline medical professionals, trusting the extensive training and sound judgment we demand of them. The solution is not to eliminate rules but to build flexibility and discretion into them—to create a system that supports, rather than second-guesses, heroic actions taken in good faith.

KBEMS and its counterparts across the nation must heed Senator Smith’s call to immediately and thoroughly review scope of practice requirements. The goal should be to craft modern, reality-based regulations that protect patients by empowering paramedics, not by tying their hands.

You can view Senator Smith's letter HERE

The Powell County case has given us a gift: a clear, undeniable example of a system in need of repair. Let’s honor the courage of these paramedics not just with applause, but with the tangible, constructive change their actions have proven is so desperately needed. Let this be the last time a hero is punished for saving a life.