The following is a story that needs to be told. It gives a window into the world of local emergency crews and everyone else in a community. Names and specifics have been changed.

Old Forge Ambulance was “toned out.” Radio transmissions between Old Forge and Inlet Volunteer EMS responders and the Herkimer County 911 center took place as follows. 

στσ 6:00 p.m. στσ

911 Dispatcher (urgently): “Old Forge EMS, you have a 2-year-old female choking at 3-8-7 Rock Road.”

Responding EMS providers radioed in within seconds.

Responder A: “Old Forge unit 33 responding EMT…”

Responder B: “Old Forge unit 44 responding driver.”

στσ 6:01 p.m. στσ

911 acknowledges responders: “Old Forge, full crew 18:01.”

Other EMTs and manpower likely to respond, as with most serious calls.

στσ 6:03 p.m. στσ

Another EMT, Tim, radioes Amie, the Ambulance EMT, that he is nearby. He is Old Forge Unit 74. Knowing he would be the first through the door, he radioes 911 requesting details. 911 answers at 6:04 p.m. with…

911 Dispatcher: “Be advised a young female babysitter has reported a choking baby emergency. Also be advised we attempted to give instructions, but we don’t believe the caller was able to follow them. Apparently this is a rental and the parents are out to dinner. We are attempting to contact them now.”

στσ 6:04 p.m. στσ

Tim: “75 received Herkimer, could I get numerics (house numbers) again?”

Dispatcher: “387 Rock Road. 3-8-7 Rock Road. Be advised the caller was on a cell phone, she indicated the house did not have a landline. She said she was reading the numbers on the porch.”

στσ 6:05 p.m. στσ

Tim is nearing the road as the Ambulance, as Old Forge Ambulance 607 started enroute.

Dispatcher: “Old Forge responding units, we just received a call back. Baby is now limp and turning blue, requesting you expedite.”

Ambulance 607: “Received, please tone out Old Forge for ALS (Advance Life Support, usually a Paramedic), and if no response please try Woodgate.”

911 Dispatcher: “Received… Old Forge, ALS requested for child choking, not breathing, meet 607 at 387 Rock Road.”

στσ 6:08 p.m. στσ

A phone dispatcher was helping the babysitter administer treatment. The baby was lying on the floor, having been removed from a high chair.

There was quiet air time, then…

Tim: “Herkimer, I should be on scene in 01 (a minute).”

Eight minutes have passed, since the first call for responders. Medical professionals know brain damage can start within four to eight minutes of oxygen deprivation. It is probable after ten.

This particular road had two entrances off the main road. Not being totally familiar with the neighborhood, Tim decided to just take the closest one and hope for the best. The road itself is almost 3/4 mile long.

ALS Unit 80 radioes that it will respond directly to the scene.

A minute goes by, and then another and another.

στσ 6:12 p.m. στσ

EMT Amie is about to ask Tim for an update when he keys the mike with a quick, “Herkimer, I’ve run the entire road and am unable to find the house. Any suggestions?”

Dead silence.

He repeats his request to which Herkimer replies, “Received. We’re looking at the map now, standby.”

στσ 6:13 p.m. στσ

Dispatcher: “Old Forge, we see it as pretty much in the middle of the road, on lake side. The caller stated she was reading the numbers on the house. Do you see any numbers?”

Tim: “I’m not seeing any numbers anywhere… Be advised, every driveway on this road is long. I can’t even see the lake much less the houses.”

στσ 6:14 p.m. στσ

Tim then hears his friend Tom, an Inlet EMT who had until now, stayed off the air, “Inlet 133 / Old Forge 75, I’m close. Meet me in the middle and we’ll start going down all driveways in opposite directions until we find it.”

στσ 6:17 p.m. στσ

Old Forge Ambulance is standing by, on the road, awaiting location of the residence.

Seventeen minutes have gone by. No EMS providers are on scene.

Tim and now Tom, as EMT’s, knew whatever happened from this point forward was going to depend on them.

They were driving in and out of these long and snow covered driveways as fast as they could maneuver.

Tim radioed from the second driveway. “Damn it, I’m stuck. Be advised, I’m on foot, cross lots.”

He finds himself ill-prepared for waist-high snow in his sneakers and jeans, but pushed forward.

Two driveways beyond, he sees the house number: 387. Out of breath, he radioes directions.

στσ 6:20 p.m. στσ

Tim bursts through the door. “Old Forge EMS,” he yells. A baby girl—small with blond hair—lay motionless, a sick shade of blue.

Tim cleared the airway and checked for a pulse. Not finding one, he began CPR.

He gave two breaths and started counting out chest compressions. Amie arrived amid the second cycle.

She readied an oxygen bottle and a pediatric bag valve mask, an item no EMT ever wants to have to use.

Tim had just begun the third cycle of compressions. Amie ventilated in place of mouth to mouth.

The driver calls on scene: “Be advised patient is code 99, CPR in progress.”

στσ 6:23 p.m. στσ

Tom arrives, jumping in to help. CPR continues as Vince, the Paramedic, arrives. He hands the defibulator to Tom as Amie gives an update.

Vince was ready with the first syringe of Epinephrin. Tom had the Defib patches positioned on the patient (They would only later learn her name was Emily). Vince called out, “Okay, shock her.”

This series of actions were repeated for another 5 minutes.

Over and over, two breaths, chest compressions, cardiac drugs, defibbulated, etc.

After finishing the cardiac arrest protocols Vince said, “All right, let’s get her loaded.”

At this point there were numerous firemen on-scene to assist.

Emily was loaded in the Ambulance with Amie continuing CPR.

Vince noticed Tim was soaked to the bone and shivering. He said to Tom, “Can you go? We need you.”

Though he’s not a member of Old Forge, he’s always jumps in and helps.

στσ 6:33 p.m. στσ

“Old Forge Ambulance 607 /  Herkimer, out of service enroute to a Utica Hospital.”

Tim went back to the house to retrieve equipment and clean up.

The babysitter sat on the kitchen floor, knees tight to her chest, sobbing.

He sat down and put his arm around her but didn’t have one word to offer solace.

Really, what could he have said that would have helped?

He learned she had called her parents for a ride. A few minutes later her parents arrived and helped her to the car.

Tim was exiting the house as the Police Chief came down the driveway. He had heard the entire call, knew things were serious.

The Chief said, “I just talked to Vince, there was nothing they could do, he conferred with St. E’s… He called it… She’s gone…”

Moments later everyone on scene, everyone in scanner land, heard the following.

“Old Forge 607, out of service enroute to Dimbleby Funeral Home, Fern Ave.”

Very slowly…very quietly…almost a whisper Herkimer responded with “Herkimer received 607, out of service, Dimbleby Funeral Home 19:16.”

Tim knew the chances were slim, but he didn’t expect this news so quickly.

Having ten years of experience, he was normally the stoic one. Tonight he was teared up. “I just couldn’t find the driveway,” he said to the Chief. “I drove as fast as I could, I just couldn’t find it.”

Homeowners need to post 911 numbers on their houses and driveways.

It’s the law. They need to be bold and visible.

Just as Tim thought it couldn’t get any worse, down the driveway came Emily’s parents, returning from dinner, oblivious to recent events.

They got out of the car and said, “What’s going on, is everyone all right?”

The Police Chief then had to give the worst news any parent could ever hear.

The preceding was a cautionary tale, though representative of tragic mishaps that happen every day in rural communities.

There have been numerous CARDIAC EMERGENCY Ambu-lance calls in recent months where Ambulance personnel were unable to find the house due to small, dark, rusted and missing 911 numbers.

Please homeowners, get your BOLD 911 numbers posted on your driveway AND on your house. Please don’t wait. Make this a priority, and please do it now.

Only YOU can prevent the situation described above from happening.

—

This message brought to you at the request of the Old Forge Volunteer Ambulance Corp. and the Old Forge Volunteer Fire Dept.