THE PEOPLE SENTINEL

Barnwell resident upset with 911 service

Staff Writer
Augusta Chronicle

Dear Editor,

I seldom do public complaints but I am today because of the serious nature of what happened to my family on Sunday, Dec. 2.

Our little grandson became ill Sunday between getting home from church and 2:30 p.m. A little cough that he frequently has, became a big cough where he was having frequent coughing spells losing his breath. I called our pediatrician's office and tried to get into the weekend clinic in Augusta, Ga., but they closed at 2:30. I decided to take him to the nearest ER in Allendale.

We made it as far as Marlboro Avenue where he had the most severe coughing episode yet and began to vomit. Fearing that he was getting into real trouble, I turned around and went to my mom and stepdad's home on Main Street. He continued to have these severe intermittent cough episodes to the point where I feared he would become fatigued and not be able to get his breath, so we called 911. I calmly explained to the operator that I had a 17-month-old with a respiratory emergency and thought that EMS would be our safest option. I explained what was going on and she said she would get someone on the way.

I waited 6 to 8 minutes, cough continued, and called back to get an estimated arrival time. By this time, I was downright panicked. I asked how far out EMS was and about how much time it would take. She said she did not really know where they were or how long it would take. I explained that he needed to go to the ER and that I may just attempt to get him to Allendale myself if they could not get there in a hurry. After another "I'm not sure where they are or when they can get there", and "if you decide to leave let us know". We left in the car.

With my mother in the backseat holding him with the window down, because he was breathing better that way, we flew to Allendale ER. Thankfully we made it, received excellent care, and were able to be discharged several hours later.

My message to you is, what is going on when a trained 911 operator tells a panicked grandmother with a baby that she has no awareness as to how long it will take for EMS to arrive? Can you imagine?

Barnwell is in serious trouble with no ER and even more serious trouble with no emergency ambulance service. I intend to tell my story until something good happens here. I have been in healthcare since 1981 and never in my life have I feared for my life due to a lack of healthcare options. I fear for my life now and the lives of my family and friends, were an emergency to happen. And they happen.

And just to let people know, our care was excellent at the Allendale ER, really first rate. Thank God they have a County Council that protected their wonderful little hospital. We are fortunate they are as close as they are.

Sincerely,

Penny Langford,

Barnwell