Two-hour wait for ambulance as Vernon senior fell in closet

Photo: Jon Manchester

A Vernon woman says she had to wait two hours for an ambulance after her 98-year-old mother took a tumble and was hurt inside her home.

Carole Fawcett says her mother fell Tuesday night at Columbus Court.

Fawcett called and couldn't get a hold of her mother, so went over and discovered her lying on the floor, half inside the closet.

"She had fallen at some point, and there she was, lying in the closet," Fawcett said.

"I was afraid to pick her up in case I did any more damage."

Fawcett called 911 and was told an ambulance would respond "as soon as possible."

The call was made 4:57 p.m., according to BC Emergency Health Services records.

Fawcett says the fire department arrived first, about an hour and a half later, "and at least they got her out of the closet."

The ambulance arrived at 6:56 p.m., BCEHS confirms.

In between, Fawcett says she called three times.

"As it turns out, she wasn't badly hurt, no broken bones," says Fawcett, but her mother was admitted to Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

"I don't blame the paramedics ... it's whoever makes the decisions on staffing, it's chaos."

It took a further two days before Fawcett was able to speak with her mother's doctor.

"Our health-care system is a mess," she said.

Fawcett says she understands paramedics have to respond to the most urgent calls first, but adds: "I would have lied to get them there faster if I though she was more seriously hurt. I almost did that, but I couldn't take away from someone who might need them more."

BCEHS confirms it responded to the incident, "was initially coded as yellow, which is a non-lights and sirens response. Multiple ambulances were dispatched but were diverted to potentially life-threatening calls."

A spokesperson said: "We know it's stressful when someone who needs an ambulance is waiting for one and we apologize for any delay. We encourage patient families to connect with the Patient Care Quality Office if they have any concerns or questions."

BCEHS says response times can vary, based on the acuity of the patient.

"BCEHS prioritizes ambulance calls based on the information received from the caller, and a system known as the Medical Priority Dispatch System," the spokesperson said in an email.

Under that system, patients with life-threatening symptoms including cardiac arrest, chest pain, breathing difficulties, and severe bleeding or unconsciousness generally receive a lights and sirens ambulance response.

"Our process also allows for calls to be upgraded if the patient's condition worsens," BCEHS says.

"The ambulance station in Vernon was fully staffed at the time of this call. There were five units scheduled for the day shift on Jan. 3, and all were staffed."