The wailing siren of a responding ambulance from nearby Phoenix station 50 triggers sadness for Bruce Sandberg.
That's because when he called for it on New Year's Eve 2021 to take his seriously ill wife to the hospital, it never came.
Only a fire truck showed up and paramedics failed to perform an EKG, refused to call an ambulance and encouraged him to take her to the hospital in his vehicle, ABC15 reported.
Francesca Sandberg, 53, who was complaining of trouble breathing and heart palpitations, went unconscious in his vehicle on the way to the hospital. She couldn't be revived.
“Our expert, that my attorney found, stated that my wife would have had a 95% chance of survival if she would have gone in an ambulance.
Sandberg settled his wrongful death lawsuit against Phoenix for $1.65 million, without the city admitting any fault.
Investigative reporters learned that others in Phoenix experienced the same treatment -- firefighters refusing to call an ambulance and encouraging them to take their loved ones to the hospital despite medical issues.
Things have changed, however, since all personnel have taken mandatory state protocol training which includes prohibiting the denial of ambulances.
Paramedics also can't simply go in service if the patient refuses to be transported. They are required to consult with a physician if the person is suffering from symptoms such as chest pains.
Choosing to get their by their own accord is no longer the first option.
Records show ambulance transports have increased 18 percent since these changes took effect.
Sandberg, who hasn't taken the Christmas lights down since his wife's untimely death, said it still bothers him not knowing if those firefighters who refused to call an ambulance were held accountable.
“These people are earning a salary because we pay our taxes. If we want our first responders to be good first responders, some of the laws need to change so that they can be, and that they're not given a free pass when things don't go their way.”
