Grandview Copes Without Ambulances

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Story Published: Nov 5, 2009 at 6:28 PM PST

By Ryan Simms

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GRANDVIEW -- One year after budget cutbacks, Grandview is still coping without having local ambulance services.

At Prosser Memorial Hospital, one ambulance leaves, and another one arrives, often from Grandview.

It's been nearly a year since Grandview's ambulance services were discontinued. As a result, Prosser's paramedics have had to drive 20 minutes just to get help to people in need.

For Grandview Fire Chief Pat Mason, the absence of ambulance services has made his job more complicated.

" A lot of times we're arriving, and initiating patient care before the ambulances arrive," says Mason.

Meantime, Prosser Memorial Hospital has been swamped with patients.
Over the past five years, the number of people passing through the emergency room has doubled, and the Grandview situation has played a big part.

As a result, emergency wait times have more than doubled since the pullout.

So far the impact from Grandview has been minimal. However, when every second counts, a six minute wait for paramedics could mean the difference between life and death.

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