This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I am grieving over the senseless loss of my brother who collapsed at a Midvale business on Jan. 22 of an apparent heart attack. 911 was called but didn't respond, so it was called again. It took 20-30 minutes for paramedics to arrive.
We were in disbelief when we were told the paramedics had been dispatched to an address downtown. How could that be when a fire station was only a few blocks away? By then it was too late for my brother; he passed away on Jan. 24, after never regaining consciousness.
When I saw the Paul Rolly column on Feb. 3 in the Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah heart attack victim dies after 911 runaround," I was stunned.
I am convinced my brother died needlessly because of the incompetence of the 911 system, and I find this situation, which I am sure is not isolated, unconscionable.
Johnnie Lynn Quinn
Midvale