L.A. fire officials unsure if budget cuts complicated response to drowning child in Bel Air

[marmar]

from the LA Times:



L.A. fire officials unsure if budget cuts complicated response to drowning child in Bel Air
August 31, 2009 | 5:05 pm


A 3-year-old boy died in a swimming pool accident last week in Bel Air on a day when one of the neighborhood’s fire engines had been shut down because of budget cuts, according to interviews and records obtained by The Times.

The remaining two units at the neighborhood firehouse had been sent to another emergency just 94 seconds before the agency’s dispatch center sounded the alarm for the swimming pool call, Los Angeles Fire Department dispatch records show.

The next-closest rescuers took more than 10 minutes to arrive after the 911 call was made as family members struggled to save the child, who had drowned in the pool.

In such life-and-death situations, experts noted, minutes and even seconds can make a difference.

"That little guy deserved the benefit of the doubt....He didn’t get it," said paramedic Bill Ramsey, who served on the department for 34 years before retiring earlier this month. "This just breaks my heart." ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/a-3-year-old-boy-died-in-a-swimming-pool-accident-last-week-in-bel-air-on-a-day-when-one-of-the-neighborhoods-fire-engines.html

[TiredOldMan]

1. I'm sure it didn't help.

[FarCenter]

2. It is really unclear how much faster the other fire house would have gotten there

"Battalion Chief Ronnie Villanueva said the engine company that was shut down is one-tenth to three-tenths of a mile closer to the house than the two units that responded to the drowning."

Besides which, lots of people in this world live farther than 10 minutes away from a fire house.

[Louisiana1976]

3. Heartbreaking story--I feel for that child's family.

[madeline_con]

4. Three year olds should know how to swim, at least to get safely out of a pool. n/t

[question everything]

5. This is sad (nt)