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PA. Man dies during storm when 911 calls unheeded

I don't know what to say about this without more information. I think at very least, the calls should have not been treated like new calls.

However, if the medical personnel cannot get through, they cannot get through. :shrug: Earlier, the problem was not considered life threatening. So should they risk their lives to get to someone who waited a week to call for help? The article said the man had been in pain all week after having been hospitalized for pancreatis for 9 days last month. He knew a wicked storm was coming. Didn't he think it wise to get it checked out before the Heavens opened up and started dumping tons of snow? I know I would have.

The headline is misleading. The calls were not unheeded. The ambulance drivers could not get through.

It's sad, and perhaps 911 did some things wrong. But it's not entirely their fault.
Nearly 30 hours later — and 10 calls from the couple to 911, four 911 calls to them and at least a dozen calls between 911 and paramedics — Curtis Mitchell died at his home. His electricity knocked out, his heat long off, the 50-year-old former steelworker waited, huddled beneath blankets on his sofa.

how was he to know the pain (for which he had already been prescribed pankillers) was that unusual? he did not wait a week to call for help, he had been home a week when his pain got worse.
 
how was he to know the pain (for which he had already been prescribed pankillers) was that unusual? he did not wait a week to call for help, he had been home a week when his pain got worse.




he called 911 30 hours prior. He had an inkling. :shrug:
 
he called 911 30 hours prior. He had an inkling. :shrug:
yes, he did call 911 30 hours prior, when he had more pain.

clearly, he had pain when he was released from the hospital, because he was prescribed medication.

if the ambulance drivers advised HIM to walk, they damned well could have walked to get him. i hope they lose their jobs.
 
yes, he did call 911 30 hours prior, when he had more pain.

clearly, he had pain when he was released from the hospital, because he was prescribed medication.

if the ambulance drivers advised HIM to walk, they damned well could have walked to get him. i hope they lose their jobs.




This all may be true, however we don't know all the facts, but anyway is dying worth winning the argument? I don't think so.
 
This all may be true, however we don't know all the facts, but anyway is dying worth winning the argument? I don't think so.
seems we know a lot of the facts. the man wasn't capable of walking, clearly. he died, remember, so i doubt he was faking it.
 
seems we know a lot of the facts. the man wasn't capable of walking, clearly. he died, remember, so i doubt he was faking it.




"They didn't have a car. During the storm, a neighbor offered to drive them to a hospital but he couldn't get his car shoveled out. "


His life wasn't worth 1 out of 30 hrs of shoveling?


"As the hours went by, Mitchell's pain intensified and he began to have shortness of breath. Because he complained of abdominal pain, which is generally not considered life-threatening, he was initially ranked as a medium priority. About 11:20 a.m. Saturday, his priority level was upgraded, but not as an emergency.

Mitchell tried to sleep. He took his prescriptions — oxycodone for pain and sleeping pills for his insomnia. Edge gave him the medication and closely followed the dosage, she said.

"All that time, he was dying and I didn't even know it," Edge said.



Edge didn't even know he was dying.



It's a tragedy, but several things come to mind....


1. If I call for an ambulance, and it does not get to my place within an hour. I will find other means, like shoveling out the snowbound car.

2. Neighbors could have carried him to the ambulance. Wrong or right, he'd be alive today.

3. he was triaged as "medium priority" sucks, but mistakes happen...
 
A few years ago, my street was a private street. We had a huge snow storm, and the next morning while it was still snowing, one of the neighbors started to go into labor. Every able body person on the street got out their shovels and hand shoveled that road so the mom to be could be driven to the hospital. Not a soul wanted her to sit there waiting for someone else to risk their necks. It was hard work. It wasn't fun, and our backs ached. But that's just what decent people do for each other.

30 hours, ambulences periodically showing up and being unable to pass, yet not one of this dude's neighbors (who he allegedly helped all the time) got out of their warm homes and helped clear snow? Buncha dicks if you ask me.
 
"They didn't have a car. During the storm, a neighbor offered to drive them to a hospital but he couldn't get his car shoveled out. "


His life wasn't worth 1 out of 30 hrs of shoveling?


"As the hours went by, Mitchell's pain intensified and he began to have shortness of breath. Because he complained of abdominal pain, which is generally not considered life-threatening, he was initially ranked as a medium priority. About 11:20 a.m. Saturday, his priority level was upgraded, but not as an emergency.

Mitchell tried to sleep. He took his prescriptions — oxycodone for pain and sleeping pills for his insomnia. Edge gave him the medication and closely followed the dosage, she said.

"All that time, he was dying and I didn't even know it," Edge said.



Edge didn't even know he was dying.



It's a tragedy, but several things come to mind....


1. If I call for an ambulance, and it does not get to my place within an hour. I will find other means, like shoveling out the snowbound car.

2. Neighbors could have carried him to the ambulance. Wrong or right, he'd be alive today.

3. he was triaged as "medium priority" sucks, but mistakes happen...
everyone doesn't have equal ability to figure out what's going on. the ambulance drivers could have carried him, too, and they didn't, after 30 hours.

yes, his neighbors may have failed him, but the simple act of making sure sure the next shifts knew about him might have saved him.

like i said, i hope the dispatchers responsible lose their jobs, and the paramedics who wouldn't get out of the ambulance to get him lose their jobs as well.
 
A few years ago, my street was a private street. We had a huge snow storm, and the next morning while it was still snowing, one of the neighbors started to go into labor. Every able body person on the street got out their shovels and hand shoveled that road so the mom to be could be driven to the hospital. Not a soul wanted her to sit there waiting for someone else to risk their necks. It was hard work. It wasn't fun, and our backs ached. But that's just what decent people do for each other.

30 hours, ambulences periodically showing up and being unable to pass, yet not one of this dude's neighbors (who he allegedly helped all the time) got out of their warm homes and helped clear snow? Buncha dicks if you ask me.




exactly............
 
A few years ago, my street was a private street. We had a huge snow storm, and the next morning while it was still snowing, one of the neighbors started to go into labor. Every able body person on the street got out their shovels and hand shoveled that road so the mom to be could be driven to the hospital. Not a soul wanted her to sit there waiting for someone else to risk their necks. It was hard work. It wasn't fun, and our backs ached. But that's just what decent people do for each other.

30 hours, ambulences periodically showing up and being unable to pass, yet not one of this dude's neighbors (who he allegedly helped all the time) got out of their warm homes and helped clear snow? Buncha dicks if you ask me.
that's quite possible, but it doesn't excuse the city.
 
pancreatitus? Bet he was mowing on chicken wings 30 hrs earlier when the lard hit the pancreus...


30 hrs, I'd make other arrangments 28hrs earlier.
rev, that's a completely assinine thing to say.
 
rev, that's a completely assinine thing to say.




pancratitus is often caused by eating way too much fat. :shrug:




"Alcohol abuse and gallstones are the two main causes of pancreatitis, accounting for 80%-90% of all cases. "




Gallstones Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment by eMedicineHealth.com

"•We do know that anything that increases the level of cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of gallstones.


•It is reasonable to assume that a diet with large amounts of cholesterol and other fats increases the risk of gallstones."





I base my assumption on fact. :shrug:
 
pancratitus is often caused by eating way too much fat. :shrug:




"Alcohol abuse and gallstones are the two main causes of pancreatitis, accounting for 80%-90% of all cases. "




Gallstones Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment by eMedicineHealth.com

"•We do know that anything that increases the level of cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of gallstones.


•It is reasonable to assume that a diet with large amounts of cholesterol and other fats increases the risk of gallstones."





I base my assumption on fact. :shrug:
assume what you want, and you may be right, but it was an assinine AND uncalled comment. the guy is dead.

next time someone in your family, or a friend, has a heart attack and dies, i wonder if you'll be that flippant?
 
assume what you want, and you may be right, but it was an assinine AND uncalled comment. the guy is dead.


Some poor bastard, whom I didn't know is dead in the news. So what if I comment that his lifestyle choices prolly played a huge roll in his death. :shrug:


next time someone in your family, or a friend, has a heart attack and dies, i wonder if you'll be that flippant?


Prolly not, unless it's old uncle kenny, no one likes him anyway. :shrug: :pimpdaddy:
 
Or, you know, you walk to the ambulance.

While in the throws of an attack of pancreatitis?


More like over 100 yards. Through 2ft of snow and ice. If it would have been so easy for them to walk it, then surely he or his girlfriend could have. Apparently, it wasn't so easy.

Still their call. He wasn't listed as life threatening emergency anyway.

Again, while in severe abdominal pain, while able bodied ambulance workers could have made the distance more easily and at least come to the door to check him.

seems we know a lot of the facts. the man wasn't capable of walking, clearly. he died, remember, so i doubt he was faking it.

Exactly, he was freaking sick and in pain.

"They didn't have a car. During the storm, a neighbor offered to drive them to a hospital but he couldn't get his car shoveled out. "


His life wasn't worth 1 out of 30 hrs of shoveling?


"As the hours went by, Mitchell's pain intensified and he began to have shortness of breath. Because he complained of abdominal pain, which is generally not considered life-threatening, he was initially ranked as a medium priority. About 11:20 a.m. Saturday, his priority level was upgraded, but not as an emergency.

Mitchell tried to sleep. He took his prescriptions — oxycodone for pain and sleeping pills for his insomnia. Edge gave him the medication and closely followed the dosage, she said.

"All that time, he was dying and I didn't even know it," Edge said.



Edge didn't even know he was dying.



It's a tragedy, but several things come to mind....


1. If I call for an ambulance, and it does not get to my place within an hour. I will find other means, like shoveling out the snowbound car.

2. Neighbors could have carried him to the ambulance. Wrong or right, he'd be alive today.

3. he was triaged as "medium priority" sucks, but mistakes happen...


If his neighbors could have carried him, a very treacherous thing to do in a driving snow storm, then again, ABLE BODIED, WELL CONDITIONED ambulance workers could have walked to the door.


This blame the sick victim mentality is ridiculous. He was sick and in severe pain. You guys keep saying he could have walked, should have walked but once more I point out, able bodied ambulance workers were a football field away.
 
If his neighbors could have carried him, a very treacherous thing to do in a driving snow storm, then again, ABLE BODIED, WELL CONDITIONED ambulance workers could have walked to the door.


Yes they could of, they didn't and the neighbors didnt either. That will teach the ambulance drivers!


at what cost though? The mans life.



This blame the sick victim mentality is ridiculous. He was sick and in severe pain. You guys keep saying he could have walked, should have walked but once more I point out, able bodied ambulance workers were a football field away.



able bodied neighbors were also a football field away. I am not claiming the ambulance drivers were not in the wrong. I am stating however, that the residents and neighbors could have adapted to a bad situation better. :shrug:




from the article:


""... You get out of that damn truck and you walk to the residence," Huss said. "That's what needed to happen. We could have carried him out."



So the door was as far as the sick man's life was worth. :shrug:
 
Yes they could of, they didn't and the neighbors didnt either. That will teach the ambulance drivers!


at what cost though? The mans life.

Huh? What will teach the ambulance drivers?



able bodied neighbors were also a football field away. I am not claiming the ambulance drivers were not in the wrong. I am stating however, that the residents and neighbors could have adapted to a bad situation better. :shrug:

from the article:


""... You get out of that damn truck and you walk to the residence," Huss said. "That's what needed to happen. We could have carried him out."



So the door was as far as the sick man's life was worth. :shrug:

You don't know the condition of the neighbors, but we know the condition of the ambulance workers.

Some neighborhoods are not so blessed as to have people ready to CARRY someone (which is difficult in dry clear weather) in driving snow to ABLE BODIED ambulance drivers. If you think it was so easy for non-professionals, it would have been even easier for trained personnel to do it.

Even their administrator is appalled and is not placing any blame on a sick man. It was their job to go to aide of a sick person.
 
Huh? What will teach the ambulance drivers?





You don't know the condition of the neighbors, but we know the condition of the ambulance workers.

Some neighborhoods are not so blessed as to have people ready to CARRY someone (which is difficult in dry clear weather) in driving snow to ABLE BODIED ambulance drivers. If you think it was so easy for non-professionals, it would have been even easier for trained personnel to do it.

Even their administrator is appalled and is not placing any blame on a sick man. It was their job to go to aide of a sick person.





My point is, your outrage at the ambulance drivers and thier systems is not unjustified. My point is, 30 freaking hours, and he waited to die. you would think that after an hour they would try to figure something else out.


2.2 miles. what a damn shame.....
 
My point is, your outrage at the ambulance drivers and thier systems is not unjustified. My point is, 30 freaking hours, and he waited to die. you would think that after an hour they would try to figure something else out.


2.2 miles. what a damn shame.....

Alternatives in a severe storm are very limited. His wife says she had no idea he was dying. He had taken his sleeping medication so it's not odd for her to assume he was sleeping. They were trying to be patient and reasonable, given the conditions. The story says there was no screaming or yelling as they accepted it would be difficult for the ambulance to get there.

I just can't blame a sick man in this situation. They were told to walk to ambulance. Maybe she should have yelled and screamed, telling them if they think it's so easy for a sick man to get there, they should have no problem being well themselves.
 
Alternatives in a severe storm are very limited. His wife says she had no idea he was dying. He had taken his sleeping medication so it's not odd for her to assume he was sleeping. They were trying to be patient and reasonable, given the conditions. The story says there was no screaming or yelling as they accepted it would be difficult for the ambulance to get there.


So then equally the paramedics thought this man was not in great peril based on the symptoms relayed. to me if he was sick enough to need 911 called, it was life or death.

All parties should have done what is neccessary to get the man the medical attention he needed.


I just can't blame a sick man in this situation. They were told to walk to ambulance. Maybe she should have yelled and screamed, telling them if they think it's so easy for a sick man to get there, they should have no problem being well themselves.



I don't blame the man himself, I do think that others around him sat around waiting to be rescued, when in fact, they had 30 hrs to figure out how to get a sick man 2.2 miles, and on more than one occasion get him a football field length. Not saying the paramedics were right, I'm saying take some personal responsibility for your and yours lives.... and do what needs to be done.


These people didn't and unfortunatley, this is what happens... Like I said initially, Ghosts of NOLO..... :shrug:
 
Bear in mind, though...he's an older guy, in ill health. Perhaps they didn't have nearby relatives or family support. He doesn't own a car. Public transportation is completely shut down. I'm kind of surprised that they didn't describe this as an emergency on the 9/11 call...prior pancreatitis, shortness of breath, etc.
 
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