WEST MILFORD An Upper Greenwood Lake resident’s recent emergency visit to the hospital was only the beginning of the drama to unfold. While the ambulance was transporting the unnamed female patient to Hackensack Hospital, one of the exterior rear tire treads separated from the tire. The driver of the ambulance, Joseph Elcavage, made the decision to continue the journey to the hospital despite the flat tire. The problem worsened, however, on arrival at Hackensack when the wiring and hoses surrounding the wheel caught fire. The patient was admitted to the hospital without delay and sustained no injuries as a result of the flat tire or the fire. Elcavage said, “When you are on call you have a sick patient in the ambulance and you have to make a judgment call. My first priority was to get the patient to the hospital.” When asked whether he believed continuing to the hospital was the correct decision, Elcavage said, “Absolutely. The patient was never in any danger and that’s why we have four tires at the back of the ambulance, so as to still be able to drive if one of them is flat.” The Upper Greenwood Lake Volunteer Ambulance Corps took action against Elcavage, however, by suspending his driving privileges for 30 days. There was no response to a call placed to the Ambulance Corps office by the time the newspaper went to print. The 12-year-old ambulance recently had four of its six tires replaced. However, the flat and subsequent fire occurred in the outer tire of the two which were not replaced. Riding alongside Elcavage was fellow volunteer Jim Revicki.