A Georgia girl died this week after suffering medical distress during a volleyball practice due, in part, to an “unacceptable” ambulance delay.
Amanda Sylvester, 15, collapsed on the floor while warming up with her Dream Chasers Volleyball team at Tracey Wyatt Recreation Center.
While first responders arrived quickly and tended to the girl, who could still speak, Grady EMS “never fully responded” to their repeated requests for an ambulance.
After more than an hour, the girl was loaded into her mother’s van and rushed to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she went into cardiac failure and later died.
Following the teen’s death, the volleyball club called the ambulance delay “unacceptable.”
“We have precious lives in our hands, and we’re responsible for these precious lives. We have to have a better network and system to protect these kids.”
Grady EMS said in a statement that the emergency call was considered a “low acuity” situation.
“A College Park Fire unit responded to the scene and was equipped to provide medical care and transport if necessary,”
“Following an update on the patient’s condition, the call was reclassified, and a Grady EMS unit was promptly dispatched,”
“However, as our unit was en route, College Park Fire determined that additional EMS support was no longer needed due to the patient being transported to the hospital via personal vehicle.”
