'If he wants to ride to the hospital, he's gonna have to come to the truck' – Pittsburgh EMS crew talking about dying man during snowstorm. Public safety director – '… you get out of the damn truck and walk'.
City officials admit they failed Curtis Mitchell and here
Wife says apology too late
Watch KDKA-TV’s original story
More from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
TV station KDKA in Pittsburgh broke this story Tuesday of a man who died during the February 6 snow storm waiting for EMS crews who showed up way too late despite 10 calls to 911 over three days. Yesterday, in a rare admission by city officials, they believe it is likely Curtis Mitchell would still be alive if things were done right. Here are excerpts from the station’s latest story:
Emergency officials say they’re sad, angry and sorry.
Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Michael Huss is convinced that if EMS did the right thing, Curtis Mitchell might still be alive.
“It’s unacceptable. You’ve got to get out of your truck and you got to go there,” Huss said during a news conference.
“As Dr. Roth tried to explain, that was work in force on some calls where we didn’t get the ambulance back in the neighborhoods because we didn’t want to get it stuck.
“I understand that. But you get out of that damn truck and walk to the residence. That’s what needed to happen here. We could have carried him out across the West Liberty Bridge.”
City leaders admit a significant number of mistakes. Twice, paramedics asked Mitchell to walk to an ambulance in 15 inches of snow.
They did not walk to him.
Mitchell, 50, and his wife, Sharon Edge, called 911 10 times over nearly a three-day period. EMS never reached him and he died.
“He didn’t have to die and the way he died, he was in pain, a lot of pain and he shouldn’t have had to die like that,” Edge said. “When you pass away, you [are] supposed to go in peace and I don’t think my man went in peace.”
KDKA-TV ‘s Marty Griffin listened to the 911 calls.
Mitchell: “My stomach is bothering me real bad.”
911 Operator: “I’m sending paramedics. Help is on the way.”
Later, Mitchell spoke again with 911.
Mitchell: “I need a paramedic man. I need ’em … bad. My stomach is messed up real bad … It’s killing me.”
In another call, they asked Mitchell to walk to the EMS vehicle.
Mitchell: “Okay listen. I can’t make it up there man. He wants me to walk up across the bridge. I can’t even walk up and down my steps man.”
Transcripts obtained by the KDKA Investigators point out a desperate wife.
Edge: “He’s getting worse … His pain is getting worse … He now has shortness of breath.”
911 Operator: “I have an ambulance waiting way up the street. Can’t come to the house. Too much snow.”
Edge: “I can’t take him to [the] ambulance.”
EMS Driver (first time): “Tell him we’re here. If he can walk across the bridge we’ll be glad to treat him.”
EMS Driver (second time): “If he wants to ride to the hospital, he’s gonna have to come to the truck.”
In her final call, Edge told 911 that it was too late for her husband.
Edge: “Oh God! He’s dead … Oh God! I’ve been trying to get an ambulance here for three days.”
