Alberta man irate after paramedic refused to help unconscious mother claiming ambulance was 'out of service'
His mother was unconscious in the passenger seat after grabbing her chest and going into convulsions.
Sonny Strawberry was able to flag down a passing ambulance, only to be told they were not in service.
The interaction was recorded in a video he posted to Facebook. It happened around 6 p.m. Sunday evening as he was driving his mother from Calgary to her home on the Sunchild O'Chiese First Nation.
At the time of the emergency, they were about 60 kilometres from the nearest hospital.
In the video, Strawberry immediately turns and runs back to his vehicle, swearing as he goes. In the video someone off camera can be heard shouting something.
Strawberry was later able to flag down another ambulance which took his mother, Suzanne Strawberry in for care.
She was held over night, treated and released Monday.
Sonny Strawberry and his mother
In a statement issued late Monday afternoon, Lakeside EMS — the ambulance contractor — explained the crew's behaviour:
"The paramedic in the first encounter was returning an ambulance following repairs. The ambulance was not equipped with all of its medical equipment or medications and was due to be restocked. When the paramedic referenced the ambulance as “out of service”, that is what was being referred to."
"Mr Strawberry then went to leave but the paramedic can be heard on video telling him “hang on hang on” and honking to get his attention."
The statement apologizes to the Strawberry family and says the company will reach out to both the family and the O'Chiese First Nation.
EMBARRASSED TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE
Sunchild Nation councillor Joey Pete says many in his community feel embarassed to access health care, and often run into problems particularly at the hospital.
"We've met AHS, we've met with the town, we tried to rectify these issues last year and the year before but we weren't successful obviously because we're still going through it," said Pete .
"If you go into the hospital right now, security is automatically going to pinpoint you as you're alcoholic or a drug user when you're just here to utilize services that are provided."
An EMS ambulance
Strawberry says while he was at the hospital he also tried to go visit a cousin who has been in acute care for months, only to be confronted by security who he says asked if he was bringing in alcohol or drugs.
Strawberry says he has been sober for about six years.
AHS did not comment on the situation, referring inquiries to Lakeside EMS.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.