A call for a man on a bus experiencing chest pains took a different turn in Portland on New Year's Eve.
With no ambulances available and the patient's conditon worsening, Portland EMS crews thought outside the box. They had the bus driver take them to the hospital.
“I call it a creative win by the crew on scene. It’s unfortunate that that was the reality. But we’re tasked with solving problems,” Firefighter Rick Graves told KOIN.
“We had crew members riding on the bus. We had the rescue leading the bus out. So it was a parade of individuals, if you will, getting this patient [to the hospital],” Graves said.
The shortage of paramedics, EMTs and ambulances is putting a strain on other first responders who are often working overtime to fill the gaps, he explained.
But it's not just happening in Portland. There's a nationwide shortage of medics.
