2008 Woodie Awards
Emergency medics give service to student
By Lauren Nichole Barrera
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
Originally published: 4/10/08 at 11:07 AM CSTLast update: 4/12/08 at 5:55 PM CST
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"I felt like I was having a heart attack," Gonzalez said.
An emergency medical team arrived at Gonzales Hall where Gonzalez waited in the office of an English professor.
The crew carried an emergency medical kit and wheeled a stretcher into the office and immediately started asking Gonzalez questions about her health and current medical state.
After the medical team inspected her vital signs, Gonzalez decided she was well enough to drive herself home.
The Ranger became aware of the incident after the medical team entered the second floor of Loftin Student Center just outside the newsroom. The team of three was unaware they were in the wrong building.
After sending the team across the walk connecting the second floor of Loftin and Gonzales, the men arrived to where an Alamo Community College District police officer had tried to direct them.
Don Adams, department of public safety chief, said Monday that reasons for the fire department getting confused about where to go might have been because the unit regularly assigned to this campus might not have been available.
San Antonio is divided into 51 fire districts, but Adams said if the response team is unavailable to respond to an emergency, the closest unit must respond.
"Sometimes the only team able to respond might not know the campus very well," Adams said. "They are equipped with mapping capabilities, and it also depends on the driver's familiarity with the neighborhood."
On this campus, calling EMS may not be the first option.
The staff of the college health center offers assistance to students, faculty or staff who have illnesses or are involved in accidents and emergencies.
Students have the option of contacting the health center, but it is up to the students to decide if their condition is not severe enough to contact EMS, Coordinator Paula Daggett, R.N., said.
Nurses respond to about 10 calls per semester around this campus. Students also call the health center from home when they are sick and ask for medical advice from nurses on duty.
Students also can call campus police in case of an emergency.
"Calling the ACCD Police Department would be the best response," Sgt. Ben Peña said. "We recommend that students, faculty and staff program our information hotline and our emergency line into their cell phones."
In case of emergency call the ACCD Police Department at 222-0911 or call college health center at 733-2790.
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