Ambulance service denies it took 50 minutes to reach Killarney scene

The National Ambulance Service has rejected a claim that it took 50 minutes after receiving an emergency call for an ambulance to reach an ill man.

Marie Leen, from Killarney, Co Kerry, made a 999 emergency call after seeing the man leaning against a wall and holding his chest, with sweat pouring from his brow, in Killarney, on Sunday afternoon.

She maintained about 50 minutes elapsed before the ambulance arrived.

However, the ambulance service confirmed to the Irish Examiner last night that an 999/112 call was received at 1.06pm, on Sunday, and the first ambulance was at the scene 26 minutes later at 1.32pm.

The recommended time for an ambulance to reach an emergency scene is 19 minutes.

A spokesman said a second ambulance was also dispatched and arrived at 1.35pm. The man was removed to hospital.

Ms Leen said she thought the man was going to get a heart attack, or stroke, and was worried sick he would die.

She said she observed him in College St in the town, shortly before 1pm. A number of other people also came to his assistance. One man took his pulse and found it to be very high.

“His heart was beating rapidly. He was very distressed and could not even speak,’’ she told Radio Kerry.

Earlier this year, local politicians and health professionals in south Kerry met representatives of the ambulance service and the HSE in relation to the service.

Following reconfiguration of the service, there are three full-time ambulances available on a 24-hour basis across south Kerry, in addition to emergency vehicles covering Killarney, Kenmare, and Caherciveen.

Killarney has lost one ambulance, but this has been replaced by an intermediate care vehicle.

However, concerns have been raised in Killarney that the remaining ambulance can be called out of the area to parts of north Cork.

Local politicians continue to call for additional ambulance services in Killarney where the population can double, or treble, during the tourism season.

Wheel problems

- Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

-Health service officials have launched an investigation into another ambulance scandal after a wheel “fell off” one of the vehicles as it was returning to base.

The latest incident occurred just after 7.30am yesterday on the N3 near Kempton in Dublin.

While Dublin City Council would only confirm a “wheel problem” occurred, it is understood the wheel on a Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance came loose during the incident.

The vehicle was not carrying a patient at the time.

The incident comes just a week after another of the capital’s fleet of ambulances was effectively stranded outside a heart attack patient’s home after a “tail lift” at the back of the vehicle failed to retract after being used to bring the seriously ill man on board.

Last month, a HSE ambulance transferring a patient on life-support from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda to St James’s Hospital in Dublin broke down on the M1 motorway.