Recently my family member had a heart attack and members of the Orion Township Fire Department responded. Following their arrival, they provided oxygen and took vital signs.
When questioned why they were just standing around instead of loading my family member into the ambulance, they responded, ‘we don’t transport; AMR is on their way and will be here momentarily.?
Eighteen minutes later AMR arrived and finally began Advanced Life Support care and transported to the hospital.
Currently, the Orion Township Fire Department is only certified to provide basic life support care (the lowest provider level in Michigan). That meant that my family member was deprived of precious Advanced Life Support care, which might have prevented further heart damage.
I recently researched the surrounding fire departments. Addison Township, Independence Township, Brandon Township, City of Auburn Hills, Groveland Township and soon to be certified Oakland Township all provide Advanced Life Support care.
They all have the capability to transport critically ill patients to the hospital, therefore not having to wait 18 long minutes for an ambulance.
I question the philosophy of the Orion Township Fire Department. It seems the preservation of life isn’t first on its priority list. With 90 percent of its calls being of the medical emergency type, it seems Advanced Life Support and the ability to transport patients to the hospital would be top on the list.
With the high taxes Orion Township residents pay and the portrayed image of being a high quality place to live, it would seem the township fire department and the township board would place the highest priority on their residents? lives.
A Concerned Citizen