The sick person who was being prepared for transport as the ambulance that responded to the emergency call to Ministry Street, Mangilao was stolen, is in stable condition. The person’s family ended up bringing the ailing resident to the hospital.
According to Guam Fire Department spokesman Nick Garrido Sunday morning, GFD Medic 9 – a red Chevrolet ambulance – was stolen as medics were attending to the man and getting him ready for transport to the hospital.
The license plate of the ambulance is 6433. “If you have any information, please contact 911,” Mr. Garrido said.
Ambulances are specially-designed, expensive vehicles that are retrofitted, and which take months to procure due to conformance with design details. The absence of this unit from GFD’s fleet now causes concern about GFD’s ability to respond timely to emergencies.
“There is potential for delays in emergency response, however as always GFD is committed to responding as expeditiously as we can,” Mr. Garrido said. “We will be utilizing our triage training both within the 911 Center and out in the community.”
The E-911 System is supposed to have a tracking mechanism for its ambulances, according to a GFD source. “We currently do not have [that] capability,” Mr. Garrido said, when asked about the tracker.
This ambulance was not equipped with anything of street value, such as opiates, amphetamines, or amplifiers. “This unit does not carry controlled medications or drugs,” Mr. Garrido said, continuing, “however, high value medical equipment and supplies are carried on board, [such as] oxygen, automated external defibrillator, suction devices, spinal boards.”
A personal bag, wallet, cell phone, and GFD-issued tablet were in the ambulance.
Both the cell phone and the tablet cannot be tracked, according to Mr. Garrido.
