With no ambulances available, a two-year-old in cardiac arrest was transported in the back of Winthrop Fire Chief Scott Wiley's vehicle with two firefighters administrating CPR.
Despite their efforts, the toddler was pronounced dead at Mass General.
"It's one of the most difficult calls I've been on, and I've been on for 33 years. The death of a 2-year-old child is difficult," Wiley told WCVB.
When the call was dispatched last week, Action Ambulance crews were handling two other incidents.
The girl had been sick for a few days before going unconscious. An autopsy was conducted.
"Under state law, if an Action ambulance stationed in Winthrop is needed at a medical emergency in another community, Action Ambulance cannot decline the call. Action is also prohibited by state law from prioritizing calls for service once an ambulance has been dispatched," town officials wrote in a statement.
Town Manager Anthony Marino and Wiley both said said a lack of mutual aid and ambulance staffing shortages and a lack of mutual aid are primary issues.
"The (emergency medical services) problem is nationwide. When we say: 'How do we fix the staffing issues legislatively?' maybe it's to provide some grant funding to help finance and staff these [ambulances] adequately to alleviate this."
The town is asking state legislators to look into the inicident as well as changing the state law.
