Punta Gorda Woman dead after ambulance dispatch delay

[MMiz]

Punta Gorda Woman dead after ambulance dispatch delay


PUNTA GORDA: A 9-1-1 dispatcher is on administrative leave, accused of mishandling a call that ended in a woman's death. Police say the dispatcher waited 14 minutes to send an ambulance to a 91-year-old woman who went into cardiac arrest.

"What we do know is there was a 14-minute delay in responding, sending an ambulance to the scene," said Punta Gorda Police Chief Albert Arenal. "At this time the dispatcher in question is on administrative leave."

Punta Gorda Communication Supervisor Nancy Morris answered the 9-1-1 call Friday night. The caller stated a 91-year-old woman was in cardiac arrest.

Read more!

 

[JPINFV]

He explained Morris immediately dispatched a police officer and a fire crew consisting of three EMTs and one paramedic. But she didn't dispatch an ambulance until 14 minutes later.

This is an important excert from the article.

 

[reaper]

She may have been wrong in the delay, but the outcome would most likely be the same!

 

[TransportJockey]

If an ALS engine and a PD unit were there, what could a transport unit do that they couldn't? Unless this is one of those places that still transports dead people.

 

[Martyn]

So where was the AED? (Probably wouldn't have made much difference though)

 

[MrBrown]

She may have been wrong in the delay, but the outcome would most likely be the same!

True, assuming sufficent resources were avaliable for dispatch at the time; the delay suggests perhaps not

If an ALS engine and a PD unit were there, what could a transport unit do that they couldn't? Unless this is one of those places that still transports dead people.

Truer words were never spoken my friend.

 

[triemal04]

If an ALS engine and a PD unit were there, what could a transport unit do that they couldn't? Unless this is one of those places that still transports dead people.

So...that means that one shouldn't have been dispatched initially? So far this isn't looking like an issue with the care that was available, but an issue with the dispatcher following standard procedures.

Besides, who knows what the engine or police car carried in the way of meds/equipment. Not to mention, you've never been sent on a "cardiac arrest" and walked in to find a completely different situation?