Family: Slow medic response contributed to son's death
The family says the dispatcher repeatedly asked for an exact address despite having the name of the school
LOS ANGELES — A family says that a slow response time by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics contributed to the death of a 16-year-old, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Jesus Zambrano's family continues to mourn his sudden loss. He died in December 2012 and they continue to insist his loss was unnecessary, the station reports. In the 911 call made by Nelson Rivas, Zambrano's soccer coach, he is heard frantically trying to get a dispatcher to send paramedics to the soccer field of the Wilmington Middle School - only the coach doesn't know the exact address.
The dispatcher can be heard saying, "Okay, that's not an address, sir. That's just the name of the school."
Full story: Slow 911 response contributed to death of Calif. boy, 16, family says
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Carol Lynn Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:23:01 AM That's a shame. Like they said, google maps would have given the address and if the department was a mile or so down the road shame no one thought of going to them to get them... What a senseless tragedy I hope is never repeated. 
Ken Henke Thursday, February 14, 2013 5:44:34 PM It's bad that the system didn't allow the address to come up with the name of the school. But I have a few questions on the other end. Where was the emergency plan? Where were the people that are supposed to be trained in CPR? Where was the AED? Why wasn't a sports medicine provider available? The article is blaming the dispatch system exclusively, the school is even more responsible for not providing for foreseeable emergencies. 
Bill Towne Friday, February 15, 2013 12:15:30 PM I respond to a lot of places...google maps and Jericho maps are my best friend. For paper maps, I've found Jericho to be the best....you can look up in the back by road name and town, church name, school name, public access places, etc... And it tells you which page to look and in what grid. 
Alan W. Rose Saturday, February 16, 2013 6:59:35 PM It just took me 20.07 seconds on Google (yes I timed myself) to find: 1700 Gulf Ave Los Angeles, CA 90744. The wrong address, "Neptune and Lomita," is ONE block away from the field. The Medics from that stattion didn't know where the school was? They couldn't see it? Really? Last point: The dispatcher was being a pompous prick. Alan W. Rose Saturday, February 16, 2013 7:04:37 PM And the Medic had to DRIVE BY THE SCHOOL to get to the "wrong address!"
Bob Campanelli Sunday, February 17, 2013 12:18:09 PM I typed in the name of the school and got the address quickly. and you can see the field too. That's one lazy cop out of an answer. Both the dispatcher and Mr Yamahata should be fired. 
George Yaworski Wednesday, February 20, 2013 6:28:35 AM That is incredibly ridiculous. I can't remember a place I worked where I didn't know the locations of the schools in my zone. If the call would have gone out over the radio, the units from the zone station would have known where to go. Compartmentalization gone crazy, the dispatcher was in his silo, unfortunately, the patient died and the responders on the scene take the heat. 
