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River Falls ambulance breaks down during 911 call
An ambulance breakdown in River Falls during an emergency call highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability of the area's ambulance fleet.
RIVER FALLS, Wis. (FOX 9) - An ambulance breakdown in River Falls, Wis., during an emergency call highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability of the area's ambulance fleet.
Ongoing issues with ambulance fleet
What we know:
Two of the five ambulances in the River Falls Area Ambulance Services broke down within 24 hours. One ambulance, Number 443, failed to start after a trip to the hospital, while Number 440 stranded a crew and critical patient due to an unknown problem. Paramedics report that similar incidents have occurred before.
Allina Paramedic Judy Seeberger expressed frustration with the situation, stating, "It is inconceivable to me why Allina keeps this truck in our fleet. It's 17 years old. It does this unpredictably. It's not a reliable truck."
The backstory:
Paramedics have faced similar issues before, including during a response to a boat explosion in Prescott, Wis., in July. Another ambulance, No. 444, experienced steering problems and a malfunctioning radio earlier this month, potentially violating Wisconsin law.
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Allina ambulance breakdowns draw concerns
Two different Allina ambulances faced mechanical issues in less than 24 hours in western Wisconsin, highlighting a concern about aging medical equipment used in a time of emergency. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the details.
Concerns from paramedics
What they're saying:
Paramedic Judy Seeberger shared her concerns, saying, "The other half of my brain is going through all the different workarounds that I have to ensure that the equipment that should work — if it doesn't work, what do I do?"
Seeberger, who is also a Minnesota state senator, spoke out as a last resort. "I like my job, I want to stay working there. But I think it's important enough when patient safety is concerned and leadership doesn't seem to be doing a darn thing to address these concerns, what other options do we have?" she said.
What's next:
Allina took over ambulance services in River Falls five years ago and has replaced several ambulances in other cities. Their communications team stated that ambulances receive maintenance every 8,000 miles and have onboard software to monitor issues. However, they did not specifically address the ongoing problems with the River Falls fleet.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear if or when Allina plans to address the specific issues with the ambulances in River Falls, Wis.
The Source: FOX 9's Corin Hoggard spoke with multiple sources for information contained in this story.