By Chelsey Pollock
The Union Leader Correspondent
SALEM, N.H. — Police say a Salem woman who uses an oxygen machine suffered cardiac arrest less than an hour after power was cut to her Salem home.
When Salem police and fire rescue workers arrived at 18 Charles St. in Salem around 10 a.m. Monday, they found 53-year-old Kay Phaneuf lying unconscious without a pulse, Sgt. Rob Morin said yesterday.
Morin said the woman’s husband had stepped out of the house that morning and called 911 after returning home to find Phaneuf unconscious.
After several attempts, rescue workers were able to resuscitate Phaneuf, and she was transferred to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, Mass., Salem Fire Chief Kevin Breen said.
“Our crews, in my opinion, did an exceptional job at giving this person every chance they could based upon the condition when they arrived,” Breen said.
Morin said Phaneuf was in critical condition.
While on scene Monday, Morin said investigators learned that a meter technician from National Grid had arrived that morning about 9 a.m. to shut off power to the residence.
Though National Grid spokesman David Graves said he could not comment specifically on why power was shut off, he said the residence had been notified in writing that service was to be terminated.
Graves said the National Grid technician followed procedures by ringing the door bell and knocking on the door at 18 Charles St. to try to make direct contact before cutting power, but was not able to reach anyone.
“A review that we’ve undertaken in this case shows there’s nothing to indicate that anything other than proper procedures took place,” Graves said yesterday.
State law prohibits utility companies from shutting off power to those who rely on it for medical reasons, as long as the medical condition is confirmed by a doctor and forwarded to the utility company, said Amanda Noonan, consumer affairs director for the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission.
Once a medical need has been established, Noonan said, a medical emergency certification is put on the account for 60 days. And during that time, she said, no utility services may be terminated without specific permission from the commission.
While Graves said the 18 Charles St. property had been previously issued a medical emergency certification, the certification expired in the spring. He said it was never renewed.
“Our practice is if the certification expires, we notify the customer in writing that it is about to expire or has expired,” he said. “Without proof or notice that there is a medical condition at that address, there is no way for us to know.”
Morin said he could not say the power cut directly caused Phaneuf’s cardiac arrest, but “it could be that they are connected and that that was a contributing factor.”
Both the state Public Utilities Commission and Salem police are investigating.
Copyright 2010 Union Leader Corp.