[Vision2020] Closed doors

Thu Apr 12 07:46:55 PDT 2007

The thanks goes to you and the rest of Moscow's volunteer responders, Dan.  It was just about two years ago when I was lying on the ground, having had my car T-boned at 50 mph by a guy in another SUV, and drifting in and out of lucidity.  I can't remember ever being more grateful to see someone as I was the EMT who came to help me, and I don't know how you all do it.  I'm awfully glad you do, though.  keelyFrom: areaman at moscow.comTo: gussie443 at hotmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.comDate: Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:19:44 -0700Subject: 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 RoskovichSent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:06 
  PMTo: vision2020 at moscow.comCc: 
  carolwstrobel at hotmail.com; mmike at hotmail.comSubject: [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

  Exercise your 
  brain! Try Flexicon. 

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