MIAMI, Fla. — The Miami Beach Fire Department has launched an investigation after an ambulance took more than half an hour to answer a call just two miles away.
The 65-year-old patient was pronounced dead three minutes after medics arrived at the scene, according to the Miami Herald.
“We know there was a delay, and we are investigating,” Fire Capt. Adonis Garcia said. “We are looking at it from top to bottom — from the phone call itself, to the dispatch, to the fire response, to everything.”
The man’s wife had called for an ambulance on March 5 at 9:05 am after she found her husband on the ground. The man had diabetes and Crohn’s disease.
The department dispatched the ambulance seven minutes after receiving the call. The woman reportedly ran between the bedroom where her husband was and outside hoping to wave down the ambulance. She ended up calling 911 again before the ambulance arrived at 9:36 am, 31 minutes after receiving the wife’s call.
“The rescue brought in an EKG machine, only to be told by a walkie talkie that it was offline and not working,” the wife wrote. “They started CPR and could not revive him.”
The Herald reports that a cause of death has not been given.
Rescue crews say they were delayed by 10 minutes because of a raised drawbridge. Capt. Garcia said typically dispatchers will work with bridge operators to make sure the bridges are accessible. He also added that ambulances usually only take four to six minutes to respond to calls.
The man’s wife has written an email to City Hall. Officials are working the department to conduct an investigation of the incident.