Ambulance Company Forgives Bill for Family of Woman Who Died

[The Straight Story]

Ambulance Company Forgives Bill for Family of Woman Who Died
Written for the web by April Ghan, Multimedia Producer

American Medical Response tells News10 the company is forgiving a $5,000 bill to the family of a woman who died while waiting for one of its ambulances.

Katinia Finau died October 21, 2006. She had collapsed at her home on Keyser Road near Stockton after apparently suffering a heart attack. A neighbor called 911 from a cell phone but dispatchers for AMR became confused and sent paramedics to Kaiser Road, 15 miles from her home.

The San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency released a final report Monday on its investigation into Finau's death. The agency concluded negligence on the part of ambulance dispatchers led to the mishap. The county determined the cell phone used by the neighbor to report the incident was not equipped with enhanced 911 capabilities. That technology, standard in some areas of Northern California, could have given dispatchers the location of the home instantly.

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=23937

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. WOW AMR is trying to avoid the wrongful death

lawsuit

I have a very low opinion of them... not their medics, their management

[babylonsister]

2. Isn't that 'big' of them. They kill someone due to ineptitude, so won't charge them? nt

[niyad]

3. a 5 THOUSAND dollar bill? how in the HELL is that even possible? and what in the HELL is the

necessity for "enhanced 911 capability" should not that be the province of the dispatcher, for starters? I call in, requesting an ambulance, give them an address and directions--come on, don't they have a thomas guide, for pity's sake? or mapquest??
something stinks about this whole story.