A Central Alberta family is speaking out after claiming an ambulance arrived nearly an hour after it was called.
Brian Schneider, who lives eight kilometres north of Rimbey, said Alberta’s ambulance system failed them with its slow response time showing complete disregard for the medical condition of their patient.
Last November, Schneider’s wife Carmele, suffered a stroke. His son called 9-1-1 and the ambulance arrived close to an hour after the call was made.
“Why did it take nearly an hour to arrive at a residence eight kilometres away from Rimbey? We have two ambulances in Rimbey that we pay taxes for. Do they not have GPS or maps to enable directions to be qualified and followed, or do they not understand how to read the map?
Schneider, who was in Calgary at the time, said his son Kevin called 9-1-1 at 7:14 p.m. on Nov. 22 after he discovered his mother, Carmele was confused and appearing to have had a stroke.
“I was on the phone with the call center for 30 minutes while we waited for the ambulance to show up,” said Kevin Schneider.
He said the ambulance appeared at the end of the driveway, sat there for a few minutes and then started to drive away.
He said his friend who was with him at the time, jumped in his truck and chased the ambulance down the road for about five kilometres flashing his lights until they finally pulled over.
Meanwhile Kevin Schneider remained on the phone with the call centre telling the attendant to get the ambulance to stop.
The ambulance turned around and followed Evernden, but didn’t turn into the driveway, but flew past it and had to back up.
By this time more than 40 minutes had elapsed since 911 was called.
He said when they finally got on their way it was one and a half hours from the time the call was made.
Carmele Schneider was taken to Rimbey Hospital, rushed to Red Deer for a CT scan, and then taken to Calgary Foothills Neuroscience. She is now recovering at home.
Paul Kennedy, executive director of operations for Associated Ambulance said both Rimbey ambulances were responding to other calls at the time.
Kennedy said he cannot confirm which ambulance made the call, but he can confirm Associated Ambulance was on other calls at that time. It is not clear which ambulance responded to the call.
Alberta Health Services has not responded to interview requests.