Update: Funeral Information
A viewing for Stephanie L. Callaway will be held Staurday, June 21 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Delmarva Christian High School gymnasium, at Airport Road and U.S. 9 near Georgetown.

A processional will accompany her casket through town, and continue to the Carter Partnership Center at Delaware Technical & Community College in Georgetown, where a memorial service will begin about 4:30 p.m. Services will be open to the public.

Memorial donations may be be made to the Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary of Sussex County, PO Box 430, Nassau, DE 19969, or Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Sussex Chapter, 22198 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947.

A Sussex County paramedic and 82-year-old patient were killed early today when the ambulance they were riding in swerved to miss a deer and smashed into a tree.

Officials called it a tragic accident. "We are having our worst day," said Emergency Medical Services Director Glenn Luedtke, choking up and nearly unable to speak. "We are a family."

Paramedic Stephanie L. Callaway, 31, and patient Betty J. Hall, 82, died in the crash. Callaway was in the rear of the ambulance attending to Hall.

The ambulance, based at the Mid-Sussex Rescue Center in the Millsboro area, was heading east on Del. 24, taking Hall from a Long Neck-area nursing home to Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, with lights and sirens on.

About 2:40 a.m., when a deer darted out into the road, the ambulance driver swerved and the right wheels left the pavement and went into soft dirt, state police said.

The rear of the 2005 Ford ambulance then struck a tree, creating a large gash on the right side before hitting other trees.

Hall and emergency medical technician Brice H. Hickman, 47, of Dagsboro, were ejected. Ambulance driver Michael E. Wissman, 34, of Frankford, was also injured in the crash.

Hickman and Wissman were being treated at Beebe Medical Center.

The area is heavily wooded and known for deer running across the road.

State police Maj. Randall Hughes said the ambulance's speed is unknown at this point, but said weather did not play a role in the crash. Police crash reconstruction teams are investigating.

The crash occurred near a joint substation of the Lewes and Rehoboth fire companies. An ambulance on the way back from another call was first on the scene.

Counselors were on hand at paramedic headquarters to talk with co-workers, and duty assignments were being adjusted to accommodate medics who had been close to Callaway.

Two staff members have been assigned to help her family in whatever they need, Luedtke said.

County flags were at half-staff until further notice. Luedtke wore a black band around his paramedic badge today.

Started her career in Kent County

Callaway began her career with the Kent County paramedic program in 2001, and joined Sussex County's in 2003. In addition to her paramedic duties, she was also a field training officer and public information officer.

A Georgetown native, she attended Delaware Technical & Community College, and recently earned her bachelor's degree in emergency medical services management from George Washington University.

She was survived by her husband, Steve, a deputy state fire marshal, and two young children.

Funeral arrangements have not been set.

Her colleagues said Callaway was easy to talk to and always kept on the sunny side of things. Luedtke called her a mentor for younger paramedics.

"Stephanie was the type of person, no matter the situation, who would smile and respond, 'It's all good,' " said fellow paramedic Joseph P. Hopple.

Other agencies offer aid to Sussex

Sussex County has received offers of aid from paramedics in New Castle, Kent, Caroline and Worcester counties and from Ocean City, Md., Luedtke said.

Bill Tobin, president of the Sussex County firefighters association, said emergency responders were up all night dealing with the crash and the aftermath.

"It's been a very sad morning," Tobin said.

The crash occurred near the end of the EMTs' 24-hour shift, from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m., Luedtke said. Callaway was working a 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. shift, he said.

Officials did not know if Callaway had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, Luedtke said. Paramedics are required to be strapped in when not working with a patient.

"Some of the time you're strapped in, and some of the time you're not," Luedtke said. "We've all been thrown around in the back of these at one time or another."

Previous ambulance crash

Tuesday's crash was the second accident in Sussex County involving an ambulance in six months. In January, three emergency medical workers were injured when an SUV struck the side of their ambulance near Angola. The driver of the SUV was killed.

One of that ambulance crew, Sussex County paramedic John R. Schmitt, was ejected on impact. Also injured were Millsboro Fire Co. EMTs Frank DeFord and Mercedes Berry.

"It's a dangerous profession, whenever you get into a vehicle that has lights and sirens on," Luedtke said.

Republished with permission of The News Journal.