Re: Ambulance Delayed by Demand for Tunnel Toll

[Guest guest]

That's exactly who told us *not* to stop. They're losing revenue. The only

time we stop now are for the gated exit lanes, and we sign their form. If

we're running emergency, they open the gates *long* before we get there...

they actually have pretty attentive clerks! Whenever possible, we use the

toll-tag lanes. And this is with two different EMS services I ride with

(911 services)... so it's not " service specific " by any means.

Mike

[texasems-L] Ambulance Delayed by Demand for Tunnel Toll

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>News Article: Ambulance Delayed by Demand for Tunnel Toll

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><FONT SIZE=-1>By Emma Feeny</FONT>

>LONDON (Reuters) - An ambulance speeding a woman to hospital

>was held up for fifteen minutes at a tunnel in Merseyside

>because the staff was made to pay the toll, Lancashire Ambulance

>Service said Monday.

>The ambulance, which was taking a 74-year-old woman with

>severe respiratory problems to the Countess of Chester Hospital

>in Chester, was delayed when a tunnel attendant demanded the

>1.20 pounds fee for the tunnel under the Mersey river.

>Paramedics explained there was a sick patient on board, but

>the tunnel attendant and supervisor refused to allow the

>ambulance through without payment, suggesting it would have to

>find an alternative route, the ambulance service said.

>Fortunately the nurse accompanying the patient had some

>money with her and paid the toll.

> " I would have hoped that in such circumstances reason would

>prevail in the best interests of the patient, " said Hill,

>chief executive of Lancashire Ambulance Service.

> " The ambulance was clearly marked and identifiable, the

>crew were in uniform and the paramedic explained that there was

>a very sick patient on board, accompanied by a nurse and a

>doctor. "

>But Gillard, general manager at Merseytunnels, which

>operates the two tunnels connecting Liverpool with the Wirral

>peninsular, told Reuters there had been no indication that the

>vehicle had been in a hurry.

> " It was clear the ambulance was not on an emergency, " he

>said. " There was no advance warning, nor was the vehicle using

>a blue light. "

>The emergency services usually let the tunnel operator know

>when a vehicle is on its way so that a lane can be cleared and

>an escort provided, Gillard said.

> " Even if there was no advance notice, any vehicle with a

>blue light would get priority treatment, " he said.

>Most ambulances are also fitted with " fast tag " automatic

>electric toll payment systems, Merseytunnels said, which mean

>they don't have to stop at the barriers.

>Merseytunnels, which is part of Merseytravel, has launched

>an investigation into what went wrong on this occasion. The

>circumstances surrounding the incident, which occurred on

>January 13, were still being clarified, it said.

>The condition of the patient involved did not deteriorate

>during the ambulance journey as a result of the delay,

>Lancashire Ambulance Service said.

>She is now making extremely good progress, according to a

>spokeswoman for the Countess of Chester Hospital.

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