OMG a newborn baby died in NY when mom couldn't get to the hospital???

[proud2BlibKansan]

Just heard on Today Show. A mom gave birth in the lobby of her apartment building. It took 9 hours for the ambulance to get there. The baby died.

Next shot was Bloomberg telling reporters not to yell at him.

God help us if Bloomberg runs for president. What an incompetent arrogant asshole.

[TorchTheWitch]

1. just saw that too

And the person that died and their spouse had to live with the body in the house for a whole day until help finally came. There was another sick person that died too that they mentioned wasn't there? I wasn't paying all that close attention since I was trying to hook up the dvd player to the tv.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Yes a woman had her dad's dead body in her apartment

Took a day for the body to be removed.

[TorchTheWitch]

17. thanks - I thought that I heard something like that

I did put down the manual for hooking up the tv when I heard the baby part of the story though. How terrible. Apparently it was a successful birth but the bady died because of lack of prompt medical care. Poor woman had to give birth in the lobby!

This reminds me so much of that story last year in my area when we had those 2 three foot snowfalls back to back and that sick guy died because the ambulance couldn't get up his street and just left! That one particularly bothered me because during those same back to back snowfalls one of my neighbors across the street had an epileptic seizure and the ambulance couldn't get up our street because it was the middle of the first snow storm and there was already at least a foot or more of snow on the ground, but our EMT's got out and hauled equipment on foot to his house and then waded with him back out through the snow to the ambulance without a thought. Several of us felt so bad for them we put on our boots and grabbed shovels to try and at least clear and stamp down a bit of a path for them to use on the way back to the ambulance. They were so thankful for that too as if WE were being all noble and heroic for trying to help them out! One of the EMT's even took off his own coat so he could hold it over our neighbor's head when he was on the stretcher to try to keep the snow that was coming down out of his face. To be involved in that and then a week or two later hearing about that poor man that was left to die because the EMT's that came for him couldn't get up his street just galled the hell out of me.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

27. It is the small events like you did that describe us a people

I remember when we last lived in snow country the neighbors with snow equipment would clear the sidewalks/driveways for those who did not. It was just what was done.

[TorchTheWitch]

35. I was just talking to a friend about this the other day

We're very far apart in age, but we both grew up with a sense that you do for others when you can especially if it's some small really insignificant thing. He was saying how he has a snow blower and his next door neighbor doesn't and also he has trouble with his knees, so my friend just does his walkway and driveway with the blower without even thinking about it... and if he didn't get to it first one of the other neighbors would have.

I live in a rowhouse, so I share a walkway up to the house and a set of steps (since our houses are built into a hill) with the neighbor on one side. Which ever of us gets outside first is whoever does the whole thing, and it seems to be that way for the rest of the people on the street except for that crazy mean old man that's a problem to everyone (why does every neighborhood seem to always have one really crazy mean person that annoys everybody???). It's just an understood thing that we all seem to do (excepting crazy mean old man).

Last summer I only had to cut my postage stamp sized lawn once because of whoever the lawn maintenance fairy is on the street was doing it for the whole season. One of my neighbors routinely cuts my lawn for me and I don't even know which one it is! And it isn't just my lawn either... many of the neighbors have mentioned they go out to cut the lawn only to find that the mystery lawn maintenence fairy already did it. There's also a trash barrel collector fairy that puts everyone's trash barrels back so they don't sit at the curb all day until people get home from work. And it's actually probably several people doing these things me included without even realizing it since, like you said, it's just what's done and nobody even gives it a thought.

Even though there's a lot of reasons to hate living here because of a few really bad apples, in a way I'd hate to move because of the good ones. I haven't been able to enjoy the good neighbor policy anywhere I've lived since I was a kid and hadn't even realized how much I missed it until I had it again.

[camio]

2. Busses are still not running on my street.

The snow is piled five feet high in my front yard - crazy!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. NYC has actually instituted a "time-limit" for performing CPR on patients.

They are so swamped that if you need more than "X" time to be saved... you die.
NYC first responders are pretty swamped right now.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/heart_stopping_medics_limit_cpr_7Ahv46Qfw6NXpYklWpMhiO#ixzz19RgT6RRP

[Ilsa]

28. I wonder what protocol they've implemented. It's too soon to pass judgment.

There is a point in time when doing CPR is probably useless. If they go through a protocol of giving drugs and defibrillating for an extensive period of time with no results, the outcome probably won't change just because they've arrived at a hospital. Initiating CPR ASAP is probably the determining factor.

I think it's too soon to pass judgment on their new protocol. They might be able to save a life elsewhere IF they can get there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Probably the same kind of disaster protocols we used back in the day

it was informed by the reality that CPR after twenty minutes has very poor outcomes... as in fingers of one hand to count saves in thousands.

So most likely the crews can call it, and not wait for medical control to give them their blessing.

[Nite Owl]

5. Are we seeing the face

of 'small government'?
Someone needs to be held accountable and damned sure Bloomberg won't be stepping up.

[stuntcat]

19. partly for definite sure

and hmmm wonder if the mom lived in a 6-bedroom home with butlers and stables... hmmm, right x(

[no_hypocrisy]

6. This storm may undo any possibility of Bloomberg running for president.

One dead newborn.

One dead senior citizen.

This won't be forgotten.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. What was almost worse was his yelling at the reporters

I was stunned to see that.

[NashVegas]

9. New Yorkers Have No One To Yell At But Themselves

They voted him in.

[CTyankee]

14. I truly thought that Bloomberg was smarter than that...he must know about "snow politics"

and how mayors are undone by such situations. It's not like it never happened! I remember John Lindsay in 1969 so well...

well, well, another out of touch politician...plus ca change...

[TorchTheWitch]

20. whoa! I missed that!

Damn, I should have stayed in front of the tv!

[EV_Ares]

8. The people need to do better & better cooperation as well as you can see in this case like leaving

New York City operators fielded 49,478 calls to 911 on Monday, the day after the storm. That total was the sixth highest in any day since the city began keeping statistics. There were 38,000 calls on Tuesday. Some of the calls came from the same location, but it's not clear how many.

Many of the calls were not for emergencies, and plows couldn't clear the way for ambulances because streets were clogged with abandoned vehicles.

"Your car stuck in the middle of the road made things worse," Bloomberg said.
In some instances, it took hours to respond to requests for help.
abandoned cars on the streets blocking emergency vehicles when they should not have tried to be driving. Everybody can do better and maybe avoid more tragic occurrences like what happened here.


""The FDNY said additional ambulances were on the road and extra firefighters were working, but it wasn't enough to handle the call load, which was backlogged by 1,300 at one point.

Among the calls was a Brooklyn woman who called 911 several times on Monday to report she was in labor. She delivered a baby that was unconscious and later pronounced dead.

Initially, dispatchers assigned the call a low priority because the expectant mother hadn't reported that either she or the baby were in distress, and her delivery was not believed to be imminent. Dispatchers called back several times to check in on the woman, and when a call came in that the newborn was unconscious, the priority was upgraded and EMS workers responded 12 minutes later. The infant was pronounced dead at a hospital. The medical examiner will determine a cause of death.

On Wednesday, as stories began to surface about people who may have suffered serious medical problems while waiting for ambulances, the mayor was his most apologetic, without actually apologizing.

"We did not do as good a job as we wanted to do or as the city has a right to expect, and there's no question - we are an administration that has been built on accountability," he said. "When it works, it works and we take credit, and when it doesn't work, we stand up there and say, 'OK, we did it. We'll try to find out what went wrong.'""

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/30/1993727/emergency-response-criticized.html#ixzz19bMrPFdm

[NashVegas]

10. That's Heartbreaking

My question is this: hasn't anyone started to compile stats yet, to compare the clean-up rate to previous storms in NY and the other cities?

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/hazards/winter_history.shtml

Record-breaking snowfall blanketed New York City on February 11 and 12, 2006. Measurements taken in Central Park showed that 26.9 inches had accumulated by the storm's end. In the city, the Department of Sanitation worked around the clock to remove snow from roads and walkways. The City deployed 2,500 workers to cover 12-hour shifts to handle snow clean-up.

Nearly two feet of snow blanketed the New York City area following the President's Day storm of Feb. 17, 2003, which claimed 42 lives nationwide, stranded thousands of travelers, and cost the City $20 million.

Dumping more than 20 inches of snow in Central Park, the blizzard of Jan. 7-8, 1996, marked the second biggest snowstorm in New York City history. With winds gusting to more than 50 miles an hour, the powerful nor'easter caused widespread power outages, scores of fatalities and $1 billion in damages from Washington, D.C. to Boston. Thousands of travelers were stranded at City airports, bus terminals, and highway rest stops as transportation ground to a halt. On Jan. 8, New York City public and parochial schools were ordered closed, several Broadway shows canceled performances, and the New York Stock Exchange had a short day.

[EV_Ares]

11. Yes, terribly. We need to make these sort of things work better and cooperation needs to be

had by everyone involved. I never understand people who do not absolutely need to be out in the streets or driving who still will try and then just get out and walk back leaving their vehicle. People tying up the 9/11 or emergency lines for non-emergency issues.

Not saying there was a breakdown somewhere with the city but anymore it seems we immediately want to throw blame on the leaders regardless of party if something goes wrong and sometimes it is warranted but from everything have seen or heard in this case NY has or did try their best to handle this more than extraordinary blizzard they got.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Who's responsible for snow removal??

[EV_Ares]

39. Everyone does or should know who is responsible for snow removal. Just as there

is a lot of blame that can go around in this case. Everyone has a piece of the blame. City officials for not declaring a emergency quick enough and workers for taking the easy way out & the slowdown they did. There is doubt in the validity of a organized protest.

[shadowrider]

12. Who's to blame? Well, we could start here

These garbage men really stink.

Selfish Sanitation Department bosses from the snow-slammed outer boroughs ordered their drivers to snarl the blizzard cleanup to protest budget cuts -- a disastrous move that turned streets into a minefield for emergency-services vehicles, The Post has learned.


http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/sanit_filthy_snow_slow_mo_qH57MZwC53QKOJlekSSDJK/0

[marmar]

16. Or perhaps you could start with the budget cuts.

nt

[shadowrider]

21. I'm not disagreeing

Just saying regardless of the root cause, the streets were intentionally not cleared (according to the article. Whether or not true, who knows).

[npk]

36. The city is nearly broke

What would you have them do. They have made budget cuts because the city is on the verge of bankruptcy. And regardless of Budget cuts, Bloomberg can't be blamed for city workers refusing to their jobs. Their little protest cost people their lives. They will have to live with that, not Bloomberg.

[Tatiana]

13. My cousin told me about that yesterday. Simply heartbreaking.

From what I heard, she actually was going to try to walk to the hospital, but couldn't make it.

Simply horrible. I'm from Chicago and I don't see how Bloomberg could have ever thought this type of response was acceptable. He only issued his "my bad" after the media he couldn't control started hammering him.

[stuntcat]

15. another example of 'pro-life'

oh but everyone will forget this next month :eyes: nvmind

[dsc]

25. Bloomburg is pro choice and has been for his entire career

I can't fathom that any pro lifer had anything at all to do with NYC response to the snow storm.

[stuntcat]

33. yah, I wasn't talking abortion

sry to be vague. & I ain't got much learnin about Bloomburg in particular! I just draw a clear line between those who are actually "pro-life" and those who vote with "pro-lifers"

hence "pro-life" always having quotes in my world :) to me it just means helping people, and animals and junk.

[woo me with science]

18. Absolutely outrageous. nt

[Angry Dragon]

22. His street was one of the first cleaned

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Of course. He had to get out to yell at people asking him questions.

[dana_b]

26. oh my... poor lady...

poor baby. 9 hours? Pure insanity.

[uncommon]

34. I agree it is sad but it took me an hour to get about a mile on Sunday when the snow had

just started here in MA. Through city streets. And I didn't have a back-log of stops.

I don't think a good job was done in NYC, but I also don't understand why she didn't try to get to the closest police station, fire department, hospital, clinic, etc. Brooklyn has one of these every mile or so. I know I would have been out the door the minute I felt a contraction because I would have been terrified to be alone. Honestly, I might have headed to the hospital the minute the snow started if my due date was close and it was supposed to be bad. Not blaming her, I am just having a hard time understanding.

[uncommon]

29. In the wake of the blizzard?

That's a terrible tragedy but if an ambulance can't get somewhere, it can't get there :( New York got 2 feet of snow in places and cars were stuck literally IN the road, never mind off to the side.

Do you have a link? I am wondering why they waited and didn't try to get to the hospital or at least a medical clinic... or a fire station or police station, anywhere with basic emergency services.

[Ilsa]

30. I wonder if anyone in the building or nearby knew infant CPR. nt

[Cleita]

31. This is what happens in Libertarian, Ayn Rand style paradises.

The infrastructure of the commons crumbles and we aren't able to cope with unusual events like blizzards.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

37. NYC = "Ayn Rand style paradises" ??

In my opinion, this is what happens when a poor emergency plan for snow removal is compounded by city workers simultaneously deciding to show dislike for budget cuts.

I don't think this had one iota to do with "libertarians".

[Cleita]

38. So what stripe do you consider Bloomberg or

Giuliani for that matter? Budget cuts, something Libertarians like, cause diminishing services. I wouldn't blame the city workers for this. They probably are understaffed because of the budget cuts and couldn't meet the demands of the emergency.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

40. I would, at a minimum, place at least some blame on the city workers.

The snitches "didn't want to be identified because they were afraid of retaliation," Halloran said. "They were told to take off routes not do the plowing of some of the major arteries in a timely manner. They were told to make the mayor pay for the layoffs, the reductions in rank for the supervisors, shrinking the rolls of the rank-and-file."

New York's Strongest used a variety of tactics to drag out the plowing process -- and pad overtime checks -- which included keeping plows slightly higher than the roadways and skipping over streets along their routes, the sources said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/sanit_filthy_snow_slow_mo_qH57MZwC53QKOJlekSSDJK/0

They PLANNED to drag thier feet and do a sub par snow-removal process. I'm sure they didn't plan the clusterfuck that this has become, but perhaps it would not have been NEARLY as bad had they spent the precious time at the beginning of the storm to react appropriately. Libertarian or not, when the leaders tell the workers to do a job (or have workers in place to deal with trouble) they probably expect it to ACTUALLY be done.

Looks like the message was recieved... most of all by people who had loved ones die right in front of them.

[flying rabbit]

42. Maybe there arent any snitches

maybe this is CYA.:think:

[flying rabbit]

43. Maybe there arent any snitches

this might just be CYA :think:

[KeepItReal]

32. Here is a link to the story

Death of newborn baby among several blizzard tragedies as city is accused of 'dropping the ball'

A blizzard baby delivered inside the lobby of a snowbound Brooklyn building died after an emergency call of a woman in labor brought no help for nine excruciating hours.

The baby's mother, a 22-year-old college senior, was recovering Tuesday night at Interfaith Medical Center, where her newborn was pronounced dead at 6:34 p.m. on Monday. That was 10 hours after the first 911 call from the bloody vestibule on Brooklyn Ave. in Crown Heights.

"No one could get to her. Crown Heights was not plowed, and no medical aid came for hours," said the student's mother.

By the time a horde of firefighters and cops finally trooped to her aid through snow-covered blocks, the baby was unconscious and unresponsive, sources said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/12/29/2010-12-29_help_arrives_too_late_to_save_baby.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. Thank you

Such a tragedy.