By Ken Kolker
WOOD TV-8
ROCKFORD, Mich. — Kent County’s three ambulance companies have agreed to major changes in how they respond to cardiac arrests after a Target 8 investigation raised questions about the handling of a recent call.
In the past, the three ambulance companies — Rockford Ambulance, Life EMS, and AMR — dispatched their own units to calls in their designated territories.
Now, in apparent cardiac arrest cases, they have agreed to call each other first, to see if an ambulance from another company is closer.
They are sending that closest ambulance, even if it means crossing territorial lines.
“It will reduce response times to cardiac arrest,” Kent County EMS Director Mic Gunderson told Target 8 on Friday. “Cardiac arrests are the one type of call where time really makes a huge difference.”
“It’s gonna do a lot of good for a lot of people,” Rockford Ambulance Dispatcher Brice Swanson added.
Already, in the month since this started, it has happened at least 30 times, ambulance officials said.
That includes twice with Rockford Ambulance, in Ada Township and in Kentwood. In those calls, ambulances got there in 8 minutes or less, which meets the national standard, Rockford Ambulance CEO Roger Morgan said.
“It’s faster response times. We’ll get a crew there 3, 4, 5 minutes faster,” said Swanson, the Rockford dispatcher.
A Target 8 investigation raised questions last month about the response to a Jan. 2 cardiac arrest call.
Linda Oosdyke called 911 from her home, about a mile from the Rockford Fire Department. But, because she lives 200 feet into Plainfield Township, Kent County dispatchers sent firefighters from the Plainfield station six miles away.
A three-minute response turned into 10 minutes. Her 72-year-old husband, Tom Oosdyke, died.
It was Rockford Ambulance Dispatcher Brice Swanson who stayed on the phone with Linda Oosdyke, trying to talk her through CPR.
“I could tell she was getting frustrated with, myself, or with the whole system,” Swanson said.
The story raised questions, not about ambulance response, but about medical first-responders -- the firefighters who usually show up before ambulance paramedics.
In cardiac arrests, the goal of a first-responder is to arrive in 4 minutes. Ambulances try to get there in 8 minutes or less.
It was Oosdyke’s case that helped push ambulances to make changes, Morgan said.
“I think you can assure her that it’s made a difference,” he said.
Gunderson, of Kent County EMS, who called for major changes in a report he issued in December, said the ambulance agreement is the first step. He said he is working on a draft policy that would allow dispatchers to send the nearest firefighters to cardiac arrests, even if it means crossing jurisdictional lines.
Linda Oosdyke says she was surprised by how quickly the ambulance companies agreed to make changes.
“I think it’s wonderful. It’s just an example of how you can change things, too,” she said.
She said she would testify before local leaders, if that would help lead to more change.
“At this point, I would do just about anything to help convince them that this is the right move,” she said.