Galveston Police Union Boss puts Galveston EMS on Blast After Near-Fatal Drowning of Officers During Training The head of the Galveston police union used social media to criticize the EMS response to the non-fatal drownings of two Galveston police officers on Wednesday (9/3/2025). Second officer released from the hospital on Friday (9/5/2025) Anthony Rogers, a Galveston Police Department Detective and president of the Galveston Municipal Police Association, posted on Thursday (9/4/2025), alleging that emergency medics from the Galveston Area Ambulance Authority delayed taking an officer who had been underwater for nearly 90 seconds to the emergency room. “Galveston EMS should be ashamed of themselves for the action (or lack thereof) on their part yesterday while transporting one of our members,” Rogers wrote on the GMPA Facebook page on Thursday. “We are highly disappointed and believe Galveston EMS owes our member and his family an explanation and an apology.” Rogers explained that Lt. Larry Chambers, who was submerged after falling and getting caught in safety netting during swift-water training at Schlitterbahn Galveston on Wednesday (9/3/2025), needed urgent medical care. Dispatch and EMS logs support that the ambulance stayed on scene for 20 minutes before heading to UTMB Health’s John Sealy Hospital. However, during those 20 minutes, Rogers and the CEO of the agency overseeing Galveston County EMS differed on some details, which became a point of contention on Friday (9/5/2025). Chambers and Officer Justin Owens participated in joint swift water training with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and Houston Fire Department. At one point, an officer slipped and headed downstream in the swift water, knocking over others, including Owens and Chambers. The officers ended up in a basin where large pumps recirculate water, and they became entangled in a safety net meant to prevent being pulled into the pumps. While members of the Houston Fire Department, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, and Galveston Police Department tried to free them, both were held underwater—Owens was rescued quickly, but Chambers was trapped for up to 90 seconds underwater, Galveston Police Chief Douglas Balli said. When Chambers was freed, first responders said he was unresponsive and not breathing. CPR was given, and Chambers was eventually revived. Dispatch logs show the ambulance from the Galveston Ambulance Authority arrived at 9:23 AM Chambers was placed in the ambulance, but it didn’t leave until 9:43 AM. Rogers said officers at the scene questioned the delay in transporting Chambers. He claimed medics told officers to “mind your own business,” and attributed the delay to ongoing training for one of the medics. A radio dispatch recording captures an officer saying, ”Can we supply a driver or something we need to get going?” implying a firefighter or officer could drive the ambulance while medics worked on Chambers. Rogers stated that such practices are common to speed up hospital transport. Dr. Phillip Keiser, CEO of the Galveston County Health District managing the ambulance service, said initial reports indicated the officer was alert and stable, and medics were assessing him before transport, which is standard procedure. “If the patient were not stable or not alert, then that’s a matter for immediate transport,” he said. “But from what we have been able to ascertain for now is that it wasn’t the case. He was stable, alert, and communicating with (the medics).” However, Rogers insisted otherwise, saying officers on the scene reported their colleague was struggling to breathe and losing consciousness. Keiser said he would look into the matter further but had not been contacted by the police or the police association. When asked why he didn’t address his concerns with the county health district, Rogers said that wasn’t his responsibility and that his job is to protect the officers he represents. Publishing the post criticizing fellow first responders put Chief Balli in a difficult position. “I highly respect what (Galveston Fire) Chief (Mike) Varela and (Galveston Ambulance Authority) Chief (Amy) Weber do,” he said. “I will be meeting with them to discuss what happened and to see if any procedures or protocols weren’t followed. I would prefer we worked this out between the departments first before making this public. “Still, I also have to respect what my officers and the sheriff’s office members have to say, and there have been some complaints.” Keiser pledged to initiate an independent investigation into the incident, including what may have contributed to the drownings and how medics responded. The health district confirmed that one medic has 17 years of experience, while the other joined last month after recently graduating EMT school. Meanwhile, Owens was treated and released from the hospital on Wednesday. Chambers, who was reported to be alert and stable by Wednesday night, remained hospitalized on Friday for observation to prevent secondary or dry drowning, which can occur after prolonged underwater exposure. Timeline of emergency response to non-fatal drownings at Schlitterbahn Galveston 9/3/2025 Compiled from dispatch calls and a review of an EMS timeline as provided by the Galveston County Health District 9:14 AM First call of emergency at Schlitterbahn Galveston 9:15 Call for an ambulance 9:21 OFFICER: “Stand by for escort on Seawall to John Sealy (Emergency room at UTMB Health) 9:22 Route planned and announced on the radio: Seawall east to 14th Street, 14th Street North to Harborside, east on Harborside to ER 9:22 OFFICER: “We have plenty of units for escort.” 9:23 Ambulance arrives on scene 9:27 OFFICER: “About to leave the area with an escort.” 9:39 OFFICER: “Can we supply a driver or something we need to get going?” 9:42 EMS to DISPATCH: “Headed to Sealy (UTMB ER).” 9:43 OFFICER: “All right, guys, we are going.” 9:45 EMS to DISPATCH while rolling, going Code 2 (no sirens) with police escort 9:50 OFFICER: “Ambulance is at 22nd and Seawall 9:51 Escort and ambulance turned north onto 14th Street 9:53 OFFICER: Ambulance now at Harborside and 14th Street 9:53 EMS reports to be at UTMB ER 9:54 OFFICER: “All units park on the street, not the ramp or parking lot across the street by the helipad.” 10:08 EMS: Reports that the patient has been handed over to ER staff and they are going back in service 10:09 OFFICER: “Good job, everybody. Patient is conscious and breathing.”

Posted by i45NOW Chris McGlothlin at 2025-09-05 23:01:09 UTC