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Audio: Patient dies after D.C. ambulance is dispatched to wrong address

Once a dispatcher realized the error, another crew was sent, but they arrived 11 minutes after the call

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By Leila Merrill

WASHINGTON — A D.C. ambulance was dispatched to the wrong address Monday, and Joyce Robertson, 54, died after suffering cardiac arrest, WUSA9 reported.

“We used to have fun,” recalled Patricia Robinson, who had recently started taking care of her daughter.

Patricia Robinson called 911 on Monday. EMS providers arrived more than 11 minutes later.

According to 911 audio recordings available online, the dispatcher sent the ambulance to 122 I Street, SE, which was 11 blocks away from the correct location.

EMS providers can be heard having trouble finding the home before a dispatcher is heard saying, “Oh, it’s the wrong address.”

A crew closer to the patient’s address was dispatched to the residence.

“They did their job and just called the coroner, and they just took her out,” Robinson said.

An investigation is ongoing.

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1524126255834181632

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