EMERGENCY

DISPATCHES

Broadcasts about these fire and ambulance calls were monitored this past week by the newspaper:

DEC. 28

5:21 a.m. — Hillsboro ambulance was sent to Hillsboro Community Hospital so emergency medical technicians could help intubate a patient.

2:18 p.m. — A patient at St. Luke Hospital, Marion, was transferred to Newton Medical Center by Marion ambulance.

2:53 p.m. — Peabody and Florence firefighters extinguished a rekindled, out-of-control fire in a burn pit at 1st and Olive Sts. in Peabody. Firefighters continued to monitor the burn pit until almost 8 p.m.

DEC. 29

Dispatches were not recorded until 8 p.m. because of maintenance on the newspaper’s recording system.

9:58 p.m. — A 28-year-old woman who pulled over on US-77 near 80th Rd. after suffering an allergic reaction to almonds was taken to St. Luke by Marion ambulance. Dispatchers initially paged Florence ambulance but were informed it was out of service.

10:26 p.m. — Hillsboro ambulance was dispatched to the county jail in Marion to draw blood from an inmate suspected of driving under the influence. The county’s ambulance director reassigned the call to Marion ambulance. A deputy took the suspect to a parking lot at St. Luke where EMTs drew blood after completing their previous call.

10:37 p.m. — A confused 75-year-old woman at Hilltop Manor in Marion was taken to St. Luke by Hillsboro ambulance. Attendants asked about sending patients to McPherson Hospital but were told the hospital was accepting only McPherson County residents. Dispatchers initially provided no address for the call.

THURSDAY

Dispatches were not recorded until 6 p.m. because of maintenance on the newspaper’s recording system.

9:56 p.m. — An automated alarm indicating someone had fallen at a residence in the 200 block of S. Ash St. proved to be a false alarm after Hillsboro ambulance was called to investigate.

NEW YEAR’S EVE

12:31 a.m. — A 2-year-old child needing oxygen was transferred from HCH to Newton Medical Center by Hillsboro ambulance.

7:21 a.m. — A woman whose son-in-law reported she had passed out at Hilltop Manor in Marion was taken to St. Luke by Marion ambulance.

9:57 a.m. — An 80-year-old Pilsen woman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was taken to St. Luke by Marion ambulance.

10:40 a.m. — An HCH patient needing a computed tomography scan was taken to St. Luke and back by Hillsboro ambulance.

3:50 p.m. — Peabody firefighters detected no leaks from a gas meter hit by a vehicle in the 700 block of N. Elm St. in Peabody.

6:27 p.m. — A 51-year-old man who slid off a chair and could not get up at Homestead Senior Residences in Marion declined to be taken to a hospital by Marion ambulance.

NEW YEAR’S DAY

6:34 a.m. — A 50-year-old man who felt dizzy, fell, and couldn’t get up at a residence near 110th and Goldenrod Rds. was taken by Hillsboro ambulance to Newton Med.

1:43 p.m. — What was thought to be a carbon monoxide alarm sounding at a residence near 110th and Indigo Rds. was checked by Peabody firefighters.

3:47 p.m. — A woman with chest pains in the 400 block of N. B St. in Ramona was taken to Herington Hospital by Tampa ambulance. Dispatchers initially neglected to report that the address was in Ramona.

5:52 p.m. — A 68-year-old woman with altered mental status after suffering cold-like symptoms for a week was taken from Salem Home to HCH by Hillsboro ambulance. Ambulance attendants expressed concern that texts regarding dispatches from the night before were repeating on their phones.

9:13 p.m. — A 48-year-old man who may have suffered a second stroke in the 600 block of N. Olive St. in Peabody was taken by Marion ambulance to Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, where it was diverted from Newton Med. A sole emergency medical technician aboard Peabody ambulance assisted as a first responder.

SUNDAY

1:29 a.m. — In a call coded as involving a suspected COVID-19 patient, an unconscious 21-year-old man at a residence in the 200 block of N. Lincoln St. in Hillsboro was transported on an emergency basis by Hillsboro ambulance.

The ambulance attempted to take the patient to Newton Med but was diverted. Ambulance attendants then asked a supervisor in Marion to contact Wesley and Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital to see whether either would accept the patient. The supervisor informed the attendants that both hospitals were required to accept patients, so the ambulance continued on to St. Francis.

6:34 a.m. — A fire alarm at Alexanderwohl Church was checked by Goessel firefighters and determined to be a false alarm.

5:12 p.m. — An extremely dehydrated COVID-19 patient in Burns declined to be taken to a hospital by Marion ambulance. First responders were summoned as well but declined to enter the home until after ambulance personnel arrived. An ambulance shift supervisor remained at the call to provide additional assistance for several minutes after the ambulance left.

8:30 p.m. — A 56-year-old man who fell down steps and was lying in snow in the 400 block of N. 4th St. was taken to St. Luke by Marion ambulance.

MONDAY

2 a.m. — Technical problems prevented recording details of a call involving Marion ambulance.

8:45 a.m. — Peabody ambulance and first responders from Burns were dispatched to what turned out to be an accidentally activated medical alarm at a residence on 20th Rd. near Burns.

9:23 a.m. — An ambulance shift supervisor reported to St. Luke to assist staff there.

10:04 a.m. — Bypassing dispatchers, the county’s ambulance director sent Marion ambulance to the 100 block of W. Scott St. in Burns to transport a patient. The destination was not recorded on newspaper monitoring equipment.

11:29 a.m. — On her physician’s orders, a 73-year-old woman having difficulty with COPD was ordered taken to a hospital by Hillsboro ambulance from a residence on Random Rd. at Marion County Park and Lake. The destination was not recorded on newspaper monitoring equipment.

3:37 p.m. — Hillsboro firefighters determined that a fire alarm at Salem Home was a false alarm.

9:13 p.m. — A 56-year-old woman, gasping for air and identified by code words as a COVID-19 patient, was taken from the 100 block of N. Cedar St. in Marion on an emergency basis to Salina Regional Health Center by Marion ambulance.