By EMS1 Staff
LODI, Calif. — An EMS agency’s long response time cost them $50,000 after a 10-year-old boy died.
KLTV reported that Emergency Medical Services of San Joaquin County decided to fine Manteca District Ambulance Services, who had been hired to provide emergency service for a motorcycle race, for taking 51 minutes to transport a boy who was hit by a motorcycle.
“We found that there were a series of errors that occurred in that event that contributed – we believe, contributed – to the death of the patient,” Emergency Medical Services administrator Dan Burch said.
According to Burch, the EMS agency mishandled the incident because they believed they had to stay at the event instead of transporting the child to the hospital. A medical helicopter was called, but a correct address was not provided.
Investigators said the delay in treatment was caused by the missteps and when the boy finally arrived at the hospital, he was pronounced dead.
Burch said he’s not sure if the boy would have survived if so many mistakes had not been made, but that the agency should still be held accountable.
“We are taking corrective action both with the communications and with the helicopter service and Manteca Ambulance to ensure that that sort of event is not repeated,” Burch said.
In addition to the $50,000 fine, employees will undergo additional training.
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