GFD investigates response, lack of supplies

by Nick Delgado

Guam - Earlier this week KUAM News reported about how the Guam Fire Department splurged on four 40" flatscreen TVs, laptops and computers.  And now, a tip into the newsroom cites that a man may have died because GFD didn't have enough medical supplies to treat a patient.

Guam Fire Department Spokesperson Joey San Nicolas confirms they are looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of an elderly man who was involved in a traffic accident in Hagatna on Tuesday. "We are in a fact-finding situation right now. but if it the lacking of equipment, until we can get exactly the details, I can give you a better answer," he said.

The elderly man was transported to Naval Hospital, where he reportedly died.  According to KUAM News sources, the victim needed a C-collar (neck brace), but medics who responded from Tamuning didn't have any on hand.  Said San Nicolas, "My understanding is it's a C-collar issue, and that is an issue that we have been battling with, we do have open purchase orders with our vendors however we are told that they have none in stock on island."

San Nicolas says its not uncommon that they run out of C-collars quickly, because they are high-use items, but medics are trained to handle the situation.  "There's just something that we use to aid in our patient treatment however out EMTs are highly trained and I am confident they've everything they could to improvise without the use of  that equipment or any other equipment that they might need," the spokesman responded.

When asked if this situation was something that has happened in the past, San Nicolas said, "Not that I know of, and anything could of happened but I am confident that our EMTs did everything that they were trained to do."