Ambulance Crisis – Sick Disabled Man Waits 90 Minutes For Help
A disabled man in the midst of a health crisis waited nearly an hour and a half to get a ride to the hospital despite a valiant effort by dispatchers to find an available ambulance.
Just after 3 am, the patient’s wife called to say he had a temperature of 102 and possible pneumonia.
After two attempts to contact a rescue squad, dispatch called Portsmouth Ambulance at 3:13 am. Unfortunately, Portsmouth Ambulance said they didn’t have a crew.
Dispatch tried to contact Nile Twp at 3:19 am, but they didn’t answer after two alerts. At 3:29 am, dispatch tried to contact Valley twice with no luck.
Dispatch called the wife back and suggested they might try to have the fire department assist her in getting her husband to a car to drive him to the hospital. The woman said her husband is unable to walk.
At 3:34 am, dispatch contacted Washington Township, and they responded. Dispatch called the woman back at 4 am, and she reported that the ambulance was already on the scene.
At 4:05, the Washington Township squad requested assistance in getting the man to the ambulance.
Dispatch alerted the Union Fire Department Twice, and when they didn’t answer, they alerted the Rush FD. At 4:29 am, they were alerted that one Rush and one Union Fire Department members were on the way to assist.