Poor communication strands MERT volunteer
Dan McCarthy
Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: News
Miscommunication led to a new Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) volunteer's inability to reach an accident scene in a timely manner early Saturday morning, both Joe Becker, interim director of Safety and Security, and Joseph O'Halloran, chief of MERT, said.
A new volunteer for MERT serving on her first night of active duty received a page to report to an accident scene in Francis Hall. She reported to the Office of Safety and Security to inquire about a ride to Francis Hall but found herself running to the scene.
Becker said a misunderstanding created the situation.
"She's a freshman, she just got certified as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), so it was her first call," Becker said. "When the call came out at 3:13 in the morning, she ran downstairs here to our office - she doesn't have a vehicle - and she asked the dispatcher, 'What am I supposed to do? Run over there?' Well she didn't ask for a ride, she said 'Am I supposed to run over there?' The dispatcher said 'Yeah, you're supposed to go.'"
Neither Becker nor O'Halloran would give the EMT's or dispatcher's names.
O'Halloran said the protocol for Safety and Security/MERT relations during a MERT call is for MERT volunteers to contact the Office of Safety and Security if they do not have a car and need transportation to the scene. He said certain exceptions apply, but that is the standard agreement.
In this particular instance, the MERT volunteer served as the assistant to the on-call EMT.
"Usually what will happen is the EMT will respond along with the assistant," O'Halloran said. "Unbeknownst to me, until the next day, she finally got to the alarm, but she wasn't able to help that much."
O'Halloran said the assistant ran to Francis Hall from Robinson Hall, where the Office of Safety and Security is located.
"She had said that by the time she did get up to the scene of the emergency, she was so winded from running, and from walking up the steps, that she couldn't assist," O'Halloran said. "She had told me she felt like she was going to need oxygen. She felt like she was going to need help."
A new volunteer for MERT serving on her first night of active duty received a page to report to an accident scene in Francis Hall. She reported to the Office of Safety and Security to inquire about a ride to Francis Hall but found herself running to the scene.
Becker said a misunderstanding created the situation.
"She's a freshman, she just got certified as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), so it was her first call," Becker said. "When the call came out at 3:13 in the morning, she ran downstairs here to our office - she doesn't have a vehicle - and she asked the dispatcher, 'What am I supposed to do? Run over there?' Well she didn't ask for a ride, she said 'Am I supposed to run over there?' The dispatcher said 'Yeah, you're supposed to go.'"
Neither Becker nor O'Halloran would give the EMT's or dispatcher's names.
O'Halloran said the protocol for Safety and Security/MERT relations during a MERT call is for MERT volunteers to contact the Office of Safety and Security if they do not have a car and need transportation to the scene. He said certain exceptions apply, but that is the standard agreement.
In this particular instance, the MERT volunteer served as the assistant to the on-call EMT.
"Usually what will happen is the EMT will respond along with the assistant," O'Halloran said. "Unbeknownst to me, until the next day, she finally got to the alarm, but she wasn't able to help that much."
O'Halloran said the assistant ran to Francis Hall from Robinson Hall, where the Office of Safety and Security is located.
"She had said that by the time she did get up to the scene of the emergency, she was so winded from running, and from walking up the steps, that she couldn't assist," O'Halloran said. "She had told me she felt like she was going to need oxygen. She felt like she was going to need help."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Joe
posted 2/28/09 @ 4:36 PM EST
Kudos for not ripping Security as much as you probably could have. I have the utmost respect for all that MERT has to go through, but Security Services is a farce. (Continued…)
Joe Staniszewski
posted 3/05/09 @ 5:02 PM EST
Interesting to read this story. As a former MERT Director (1991-1992), it's sad to see that some of the same issues still exist as they did when I attended 17 years ago. (Continued…)
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