Man questions 911 Dispatch error
BENZIE CO. -- A Benzie County man is looking for answers tonight after an error by 911 dispatch.
His wife died of an asthma attack and he says the ambulance didn't get there fast enough.
The mistake was made when the dispatcher relayed the wrong address to EMS. Now family members are left wondering if their loved one would still be alive had crews arrived sooner.
7&4's Lauren Amstutz has the 911 recordings and talked with the family involved.
The very first words out of Bob Barnowsky’s mouth to 911 were the address to his home where his wife of more than 20 years was having an asthma attack.
Dispatcher 1: Benzie 911
Bob: Yes I need an ambulance fast.
Dispatcher 1: Ok Where at?
Bob: 12892 Cinder Road
Dispatcher 1: Ok. Is this the Barnowsky residence?
Bob: Yes my wife can't breathe.
A few minutes later the dispatcher then reassures a frantic Bob that help is on the way.
Dispatcher 1: The ambulance isn't very far from you so they're already in route.
Bob: Kathy....
Dispatcher 1: She's not breathing?
Bob: No! Where's the ambulance?
Dispatcher 1: Hold on just a second ok?
The ambulance arrives nine minutes later, by that time his wife Kathy is unconscious and not breathing. Because of his wife's medical history, emergency crews have been to his house before he wondered what took them so long.
Bob Barnowsky says,” They’re two miles that way, and two miles that way. They’ve been here before and it took them three minutes. This time it took a long time."
After listening to the 911 call, Barnowsky says another dispatcher relayed the wrong address to EMS and that she mixed up two numbers. Take a look at his real address and listen to where she tells the ambulance to go.
Dispatcher 2: Benzie County to Benzie EMS. Benzie County to Benzie EMS. I have a priority 1 ambulance call to 12982 Cinder Road, 12982 Cinder Road. We have a 40 year old female allergic reaction difficulty breathing.
Benzie County Undersheriff Bill Sholten admits a mistake was made by the dispatcher, but says it did not impact the response time.
Undersheriff Sholten says, "In rural setting that is very normal response. We are constantly striving to improve that time and to be more efficient."
However Barnowksy wonders if his wife would be sitting next to him today had there not been an error. He worries for other people who find themselves in an emergency situation like this in the future.
Barnowsky says, "My wife loved life. She was a strict Christian, God was number one and I was number 2. We were together all the time. 22 years we were together."
Undersheriff Sholten says they plan on reviewing the 911 call later this week. He says the dispatcher will not be suspended or fired.
