'There should have been one': N.S. mother drives son to ER after waiting nearly an hour for ambulance
A Nova Scotia mother says she had to drive her son to hospital herself on Canada Day when no ambulance showed up after more than 40 minutes.
Hundreds celebrated and attended events across the Maritimes Friday, with many eager to get back to in-person festivities. Felicia Holden and her eight-year-old son Jaxson were attending events on the waterfront in Pugwash, N.S., when the incident occurred.
“When he went in the bouncy castle, he went through it pretty fast, and when he came out, he said he wasn't feeling good and was dizzy. We were going to bring him home, but when he started to walk, he was white as a ghost and passed out. Not once, but twice,” said Holden.
They called 911 right away, but help was slow to arrive.
“We waited down at the waterfront for a half-hour, 40 minutes and then we took him up to the hospital ourselves. We were there another 45 minutes before the paramedic even arrived,” said Holden.
Holden says she was later told there were no ambulances in the local area. She says the closest one was more than an hour away in Pictou, N.S.
“When the paramedic came to the hospital, she did explain and said she was sorry. She said she had begged for an ambulance to stay in Wallace, so there would be at least one on the shore close by, but they wouldn't leave them there. They sent them to Pictou,” said Holden.
In an email to CTV News, Emergency Health Services says in part, "The event attended by the family was one of several held in communities across the province on Canada Day, which placed an added strain on emergency response resources provincially. EHS Operations is working very closely with its health care and government partners to find solutions to these issues, and have made a number of changes in recent months with that goal in mind."
Despite the explanation, Holden still feels there should have been an ambulance in town during that time.
“Since there was hundreds, if not more, in Pugwash at that time because it was a big event, so there should've been one around anyway,” said Holden.
Holden says she's glad a nurse happened to be in the area and was on scene to help and keep the family calm.
Meanwhile, EHS said they are deeply concerned to hear about the experience and understand how stressful these situations can be.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.