Another ambulance needed in Negril

[booger]

I truly feel horrible for you and wish things could have happened completely differently for you and your family. While travel insurance is critical to help one should the needs arise, if services are not available what does it really matter. I will still buy travel insurance and hope and pray if something were to happen that all will play out as needed.

Winston Wellington should be commended for the efforts he is making to help out his neighbors and travelers alike. I would pay $10 to a donation if it was set up.

[rootsie]

First, my condolences to you and your family. My heart goes out to you.

Rob, you read my mind as I recently watched this video from Winston Wellington on their efforts to implement local services.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK_lGGL0WHY

I would encourage everyone to contact him at the links Rob provided and hopefully everyone can come together for this worthwhile cause.

[kaycee]

The link that Rob provided, you can click and donate! http://www.negrilinternationalwellne...org/donations/

I plan on donating and I will share this link to get more people involved in doing so!

[irie always]

McSelva - So sorry for your loss - while we were there we heard of another heart attack while someone was snorkelling. I carried the numbers for 2 local Doctor's with me while we were there - my husband has high blood pressure - high cholesterol and sugar diabetes - certainly a recipe for disaster. I also have insurance .
I wonder if a Doctor could have been called , if he might have been able to do something for your mother until the ambulance got there. One day while we were there I was certain I saw two ambulances on the same day within a short while of each other. Not sure if one was the local one - van shape and the other could have come from somewhere else - it was more like your typical square type.
Thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

[Angel]

My heart goes out to you. Sorry there was not an ambulance available. There does need to be more medical help for the tourists and the people who live there.

[JitterBug]

doubt that a local doctor would have been of any help . . . i recall on my last november visit waiting 2 hrs. for dr. grant just to arrive to her office!!! in the meantime, the nurse/person that mopped the floor had stitched up a stab victim without anasthetic for everyone to hear his screams . . . so it goes in the third world, the island we love to visit . . . until something crucial happens, we really don't think about the bad situations . . . two years ago i got sick in the hills of portland, real sick, rather than going to the port antonio hospital, i drove my rental car to the airport and pretended to be fine so i could get on the next flight home . . . just saying . . .

third world folks, jamaica is third world!!!!

[Jamerican1]

So sorry for your loss, my heart goes out to you and your family..

[Mcselva]

A Dr. did eventually show up (40 minutes later...at least), although it was too late and my mother had already passed. This is the problem. We are all used to "soon come", but in situations like this, there needs to be more options. I am not starting this thread to start trouble, but to raise awareness. I have spoken with Winthrope Wellington as well as another member of the chamber before we left Jamaica last week, and they are also willing to help. We really all need to band together to fix this. I have been told that the ONE ambulance was in use, and also, another story was that it was "garaged". Whatever the case, I have lost mother/best friend and I can not sit by and let anyone else go through this. There needs to be more. Bottom line. Police need to show up and help if need be. Ambulances or rescue personnel need to respond. Tourist or local......nobody should have to live this nightmare. It's just not fair.

[CarrieBean]

Mcselva, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mother. And I can't imagine calling EMS and having nobody showing up.

Rob, you could answer this question (maybe it's been answered and I missed it). I was told a couple of years ago from someone living in Negril that the ambulance isn't driven by paramedics, it's pretty much just a ride to the hospital. Not much training on their part. Is this true?

And the dispatchers...do they have any training in emergency situations?

[Schuttzie]

I am so sorry for you loss and the horrible events that you went through. My prayers and sincere condolences to you and your family. My God be with you in your time of grief~ Bless!