Karen Alves is finally home. For the last two weeks, the Warren woman says she has been in the Cleveland VA hospital being treated for pneumonia. Even though she is now recuperating, she said she is extremely concerned that she was unable to get an ambulance when she fell ill earlier this month.
Alves, who works for the state of Ohio helping veterans, said it was close to midnight on June 11 when she woke up with an extremely high fever. She said she was disoriented and dizzy and called 911.
She was transferred to a dispatcher at MedStar, who first said he was unable to send an ambulance just for a fever.
"It is just a shame they would not send an ambulance," said Alves. "One of the things I told the gentleman is that I am a veteran. I served my country, and all I want is an ambulance, an ambulance escort."
Alves' mother, who lives in Boston, also called MedStar begging for an ambulance, and about 20 minutes later one was sent, but Alves had already driven herself to a local hospital.
Joe Robinson, president of MedStar, said he is reviewing the case.
"We have been under a lot of scrutiny lately in the press in regards to our 911 contract in the city of Warren, and a lot of it has to do with trying to eliminate those calls. So we are available for the real true blue emergencies."
Robinson said the company does the very best it can to make sure everyone is served.
Mayor Mike O'Brien said the city will look into the matter to ensure that ambulance service needs are available to city residents, either through the ambulance contract or adjoining fire districts.
