By Laura French
SPRAGUE, Conn. — A Connecticut EMS crew reports they had to walk a quarter-mile to reach a patient after downed power lines blocked their ambulance.
The Baltic Fire Engine Company No. 1 EMS providers said they called electric services company Eversource and were told they road couldn’t be cleared for another hour, according to NBC Connecticut.
The providers decided they would need to walk to the patient, carrying as much of their gear as they could and wheeling a stretcher down the road.
Officials said the road blockage delayed the patient’s treatment and transport to the hospital.
Eversource said in a statement that it receives many life-in-danger calls, which take top priority and, “As soon as we learned about it, we escalated the call and got resources to that area,” according to NBC Connecticut.
Baltic Fire Engine Company No. 1 Chief Bob Tardif said he believes a lack of preparedness by Eversource led to the delay.
“What do you do? Do you take the chance of electrifying your own membership, your own people, that are responding?” Tardif asked in an interview with NBC Connecticut reporters.