Its a pretty clever word, or whatever you call it.

Pretty clever of those Pittsburghers, no?  OMG. yes!

CLT

EMS professionals have commented on both sides of this issue on three prior posts. This post focuses on one of the issues raised in the comments.

If you’ve been reading the comments to our posts on the Mitchell case, where a City resident died during the great snowstorm of 2010 after repeatedly calling 911, you may have been puzzled by references to “Foggy Goggle”.  Well, you need wonder no more.  That’s the pub at Sevens Springs Resort, a ski venue in the Laurel Highlands, where Mayor Ravenstahl is alleged to have celebrated his 30th birthday party.  The question asked obliquely by the commenters, is whether the guest list included members of the senior staff of City government, including Public Safety Director Michael Huss.  In other words, was the City’s abysmal response to the onset of snow on Friday afternoon and evening due to the absence of not only the Mayor, but also other key leaders needed to jump-start the City’s emergency response. In other words, with a record storm approaching, was leadership  left by default in the hands of subordinates, while their bosses went to a party?

Its a fair question and ought to be answered. Its time to lift the fog.

CLT

Here is a comment made by a reader who calls himself “Rogue Medic” concerning the PLBT post (immediately below) commending Public Safety Director Michael Huss for apologizing to the family of Mr. Mitchell and stating the response to the 911 calls was unacceptable.  Rogue Medic says that Huss blamed the medics for decisions to abandon the calls when those decisions were communicated to them by the dispatcher. The comment responded to the following statement in the post:

Rather than make excuses, the City’s Public Safety Director apologized to the family and stated flatly that this performance was unacceptable.

I only see excuses from Public Safety Director Michael Huss. He claims that it was not his fault, because it was the fault of the medics. As if they were being lazy, in stead of running from patient to patient and digging themselves out of the snow every time they were stuck on streets that were not plowed. The decision to nothelp EMS get to patients was not made by the medics.

Each time the ambulance became stuck in the snow about a quarter of a mile from the patient’s residence.

Each time the ambulance was canceled by the caller or the 911 center.

First call. Medic 5 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 02:09 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by the caller at 03:57 02/06/2010.

Second call. Medic 8 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 04:53 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by the caller at 06:23 02/06/2010.

Third call. Medic 7 was dispatched. The 911 call was placed at 11:18 02/06/2010. The response was canceled by dispatch at 21:31 02/06/2010.

How is being canceled behavior that deserves blame or punishment?

6 medics, several supervisors, and others, made requests for assistance and snow plows in three attempts to get this patient to the hospital. Each time the medics were canceled.

Do not praise Public Safety Director Michael Huss for scapegoating the medics in his fraudulent apology.

Where was Public Safety Director Michael Huss while the medics were trying to get to Curtis Mitchell to keep him from dying?

HOT TOPIC: CLICK ON COMMENT BUTTON TO SEE COMMENTS ON THIS POST BY PARAMEDICS.

SNOWMAGEDDON CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTS OF KINDNESS.

We are deep into Phase 2 of Snowmageddon — ice — and I am increasing impressed and thankful for the acts of kindness that I have both observed and received in my own neighborhood.

The most recent example was yesterday, when a mountain of snow, ice and roof tile descended from my roof and buried my more or less cleanly shoveled driveway.  My good hearted neighbor, who could easily have just gone from car to house without my even noticing him, grabbed his snow shovel and started digging with a vengeance.

There will be plenty of opportunities for reciprocal charity coming up.  The ice phase is not over.  Phase 3 — flood — is just beginning.

CLT

Check out this cool website! City Zen Mobile.  It enables you to report conditions, making comments, on your street and read what others report.  Red means “Not passable” Green means “Clear”.

Of course, reports are on the honor system.  Tell the truth!  Somebody’s life and limb may depend upon it.

CLT

We take so much for granted.

When the snow started coming down so heavy, so wet, we saw it coming.  Tree limbs burdened with snow bring down power lines.  The temperature plunges into single digits.  The snow piles up so high that you can’t walk three feet past the door.

Without electricity, you can’t work.  But more importantly, you can’t flee because you can’t move enough snow personally to clear your driveway to back your car to the unplowed street.

We’ve had longer power outages before, even in the beastly cold.  But we’ve never had the combination of no power, deep cold and  deep snow.

We were able to enlist help and get away.  But what we found on the roads was just as grim.  The City of Pittsburgh was crippled.  Main roads untouched 24 hours after the snow began.  Driving on four lane highways that felt like snowy open fields.  Without four wheel drive, you’re going nowhere.  Ice from compacted snow made for a crazy wild ride, like in an amusement park, violently lurching side to side.  Roadblocks were everywhere, mostly consisting of stuck or abandoned vehicles.

How lucky we are to live in a technological world where most everything works like charm most of the time.  Lets make the most of it.

CLT