[Vision2020] Closed doors

Thu Apr 12 06:44:57 PDT 2007

MessageActually, Dan the thanks go to you, The Delicate Flower, and all the rest of the public safety folks in Moscow. It's easy to complain, it's harder to quietly get out and do what needs to get done. I really appreciate it. Thanks again.

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dan Carscallen 
  To: 'Ellen Roskovich' ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 6:19 AM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Closed doors

  Ellen (and the rest of the Vizzz peeps),

  Your stories of dealing with the 911 service cause me great concern.

  I've recently joined the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department's Ambulance Company.  I know we try our darnedest to respond to a call as soon as possible.  Being a completely volunteer service, sometimes that's hard to do.  The situations you describe would NOT be tolerated today, from what I know of the Ambulance Company.  Of course, my association with the Company goes back just over 5 years to when my Delicate Flower became an EMT.  Having seen the need for more Emergency Medical Service, this prompted me to become an EMT as well, beginning January 2007.  

  In my limited recent experience, I know that when we are dispatched the police are dispatched as well. Usually they arrive first, and nowadays I believe they all have "first responder" training.  Also dispatched would be a Fire Department engine, usually with first responders and sometimes an EMT or two.  None of these have the ability to transport, though, but they can help gather vital signs and history of the patient so when the ambulance arrives transport can be expedited.

  The one thing I don't think a lot of people (especially new citizens of Moscow) realize is that our Fire Department and Ambulance Company are totally volunteer.  Please forgive our seemingly long response times, as we are responding from our jobs, our homes, family dinners, and even the depths of slumber for fire and ambulance calls.  I'm not trying to make excuses, as I am extremely proud to be a member of such a fine organization that saves our taxpayers' money by being volunteers.  It feels good to be a part of something that is so professional, yet who's members don't accept a dime in payment.

  Thanks for your time

  DC
    -----Original Message-----
    From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Ellen Roskovich
    Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:06 PM
    To: vision2020 at moscow.com
    Cc: carolwstrobel at hotmail.com; mmike at hotmail.com
    Subject: [Vision2020] Closed doors

    Today I stopped by the Moscow Hotel thinking I might grab a bite to eat at Archies.  I am so sad to see they have closed their doors and the restaurant is for rent.

    Two weeks ago I was in Seattle and I read the postings to V2020 about the protests in Friendship Square, otherwise I wouldn't have a clue about a possible reason for closing.

    I hate to see them leave.  I enjoyed every meal I ate there. . . breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I always brought someone with me and everyone agreed that Archies was an asset to downtown.  I know the "out to lunch bunch" looked forward to their visits to Archies.  What a sad loss!

    There's been a lot of discussion lately about Moscow. . . . it's growth, the health and vitality of it's businesses, even having potential businesses pass some type of scrutiny by City Council before being allowed to open their doors and "nuisanse businesses" being shut down for over usage of police services.  For the most part, those who are participating in these discussions are not business owners.  You are users, not providers.  

    Understand I am not a very PC person who is up on all the latest PC jargon. . . it changes all the time.  So I will say "sorry" ahead of time.  I do not mean to offend but I have something to say.

    Moscow has problems.  I find it ironic that Archies closed their doors because a group of people took offense at the alleged treatment of a person with some type of physical, mental or emotional challenge.   Maybe you just don't know what kind of city you actually live in.  Let me clue you in.   As a business owner I was approached by the MPD and asked if I would like a certain challenged person barred from my restaurant.  I said no. . . I did not find him to be a problem.  All he wanted was a quiet place to drink his coffee and smoke.  We allowed smoking in the front room in those days.  They asked me if he paid for his coffee and I said yes. . . because he did.  The only "problem" was his seizures.  That is not his fault. . . and the reality is ALL of us are only one fall away of being in the same boat.   One time my customer had a seizure, fell off the bar stool and hit his head hard. . . I did what most business owners would do under like circumstances and called 911.  When help arrived I thought they were rather rough in rousing him but then I was shocked when I was told to "never call them again" for this individual because they would not respond.  I had never heard of such a thing and they said this loud enough that one of my customers waiting for a to go pizza heard them say it to me.  She seemed quite upset and I thought it because she had just witnessed the seizure and the arrival of police and medics.  I apologized for the fuss and she told me she was upset at what I was told. . . that a family member had epilepsy and she hoped they were never treated like this if they had a seizure in public.  I never barred this man from my establishment like others in this town did.  I watched as he was hog-tied and thrown into the back of a patrol car because he "trespassed" at another nearby establishment. I even posted bail for him. . . and he had me paid back in full within an hour of his release.   I can't even say that about some of my "friends".  Maybe some of you will say an owner has the right. . . and then I think of Archies. . . and then I don't understand any of it.

    There was occasion to call 911 again for a different person. . . a young man in a motorized wheelchair.  His chair got stuck in racing mode and he hit my dumpster in the alley, hit a tree, nearly went off into sixth street traffic and ended up in the bushes at the offices next door with the wheelchair on top of him.  I thought there was a good possibility of broken bones and it was obvious the wheelchair was no longer safe transportation.  Did I get a response to my call?  Well, silly me. . . wasn't I told they wouldn't respond to my address.  Thank heavens he was only scratched and scared.  I ended up calling the pharmacy that handles the purchase/rental of these wheelchairs and they came right out to assist him.  It was long after I found another solution that a lone cop car came to the front of Gambino's and parked.  It was obvious he had taken his time. . stopped for a car wash on the way over.  The water was still beaded up on the car.  I didn't wait for him to get out of his car. . . I walked over a told him through the window that he wasn't needed.  I handled the situation myself.  Then I composed a letter to the Chief because I was REALLY angry.  He replied in a timely manner.  Said he was out of town at the time this happened and he'd look into matters.  Hope he did.

    I began to wonder if this happens to others.  I also wondered if I was flagged in some manner. . . .was it the address on sixth street or the name Roskovich? You get a little paranoid, but you don't want to take any chances either.  Well, once when my late husband had a heart attack at home I didn't call 911 and wait around to see.  Our son carried him to the car and drove while I called Gritman to let them know that a heart patient was coming in with chest pains.  By the time I arrived at Gritman,  they were already talking about getting him flown up to Spokane.

    I have nothing but admiration for the doctors, nurses and quality of care at Gritman.  But getting there can be tricky.  I hope others never have to go through what I went through when my elderly mother had a nasal hemorrhage.  It was another time when Don was in Spokane hospitalized with his heart. . . .the phone rang around 5:00 a.m. and you just  know it's not going to be good.  But instead of a nurse, I had my mother on the phone and she sounded scared out of her wits.  I went right over to find her with a bathtowel to her face, drenched in blood.  It was difficult for her to talk or breathe. It was dark, icy and I had no choice but to call 911 for help.   We waited and finally I could see lights coming up Cherry St. hill.  It turned out to be one police officer who came into the apartment and promptly sat himself down on my mother's sofa and made himself comfortable.  I just wanted to GO!  He was very pleasant. . . he took out a notepad and a pen  and asked for her name.  I answered for her.  He wrote it down.  I just want to go, NOW!  Next, he asks my almost 80 year old mother "are you a student at the U of I" and I heard her say "no, I'm too old" from behind a blood soaked towel.  THAT DID IT!  I asked him point blank if the ambulance was on it's way.  He told me NO. . .he was there to assess the situation and determine if there was a medical necessity for dispatch of the ambulance.  At that point I got my mother's coat, told the officer he would no longer be needed once he helped me get my mother down the icy steps and into my car.  I wasn't going to waste another precious minute.  Once I got my mother into the emergency room I had the opportunity to ask the doctor on duty if the Moscow P.D. have been given the medical training and knowledge to assess emergencies such as this and she told me NO.  I told her that I thought she should let the board know about this because they were setting themselves up for a potential lawsuit sometime in the future.  Have things changed. . . I sure hope so. . . don't you?  I do know that I needed to call 911 toward the end of Don's illness and the response time was great.  But only a short two years earlier it left a lot to be desired.

    So, "J :)" now you know why I got a little bent when you raised the question yesterday about "nuisance businesses" who take up time and resources of city services.  But I shut up before I said too much.  But heck. . .maybe you all need to learn about the problems associated with running a business in this town. The town really can't change or move forward unless people speak up and everyone understands what they are working towards.

    I don't know if anyone would want to try and put a restaurant in Archie's spot.  What a shame we lost them. . . and it's so much more important and far reaching in our business community than who's buying kitty litter at Wal-Mart.

    Ellen Roskovich

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