medical emergency

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A lineman working on power lines (Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok)

High Water Bills Prompt Questions — A number of Arlington residents say their quarterly water bills for the summer and fall spiked to inconceivably high levels, in some cases in excess of $2,000. The county government, however, says no systemic billing issues have been found and blames the high bills on hot and dry weather combined with homeowners irrigating their yards. [InsideNova]

News Photog Saved By Arlington Medic — WUSA9 photographer Dion Wiggins suffered a massive heart attack while shooting video of traffic along I-395 last month. It was an Arlington County paramedic, Chris Abrahams, who together with firefighter Jason Griffith revived Wiggins from cardiac arrest, stabilized him and transported him to George Washington University Hospital. Wiggins is now back at home and on the road to recovery. [WUSA9]

ACPD: Don’t DUI After the Super Bowl — Super Bowl Sunday is two days away and the Arlington County Police Department is reminding residents to designate a driver for the big game. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest days of the year for DUI, with a third of all U.S. traffic deaths due to drunk drivers. [Arlington County]

D.C. Metro Work This Weekend — Major scheduled track work will close six downtown D.C. Metro stations along the Blue, Orange and Silver lines this weekend. The Blue and Orange lines will be split in two and the Silver line will end at Ballston. “Customers traveling between Virginia and DC are encouraged to use the Yellow Line, if possible,” Metro says. [WMATA]

Kudos for Sheriff’s Office — “The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded reaccreditation by the American Correctional Association Commission (ACA), whose standards are the national benchmark for the effective operation of correctional facilities in the United States.” [Arlington County]

WHS Swimmers in Regionals — “With three Wakefield swimmers heading off to regionals — the most in recent history — the Wakefield community is overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement in anticipation of a splashing victory.” [Wakefield Chieftain]

Obit: Mel Labat — Long-time Arlington tennis coach Mel Labat passed away last week. A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday). A scholarship fund has been established, with the proceeds going to the Arlington Youth Tennis Program. [YMCA, Legacy]

Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok

Metro ‘SafeTrack’ Worker Treated for Dehydration

By ARLnow.com

Metro worker suffering dehydration on the Orange/Silver line tracks along I-66 (courtesy photo)

Working on the railroad is hard work.

That was in evidence this morning when a Metro contractor who was on the team performing “SafeTrack” maintenance work on the tracks near the East Falls Church station reportedly passed out from dehydration.

Firefighters and paramedics responded to the section of track along I-66 and transported the worker to a local hospital for evaluation.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the agency is taking steps to make sure its workers are well hydrated.

“Obviously, this is hard, physical labor on a hot and cloudless day,” Stessel told ARLnow.com. “We are providing water and sports drinks to all workers on site, and requiring frequent breaks — but the lack of shade is really the issue.”

Courtesy photo

Woman Falls on Track at Ballston Metro Station

By ARLnow.com

Metro logo on an Orange Line stationMetrorail riders should expect residual delays on the Orange, Silver and Blue lines after someone fell on the track at the Ballston Metro station.

Metro is describing the incident as a “medical emergency.” A Twitter user said a woman walked off the platform and onto the tracks.

“Lady just walked smooth off the platform onto the tracks at Ballston station right in front of me,” said @Durrrius.

Fire department radio traffic indicates that the patient has been removed from the tracks and is now being treated by medics.

Metro says that trains are again moving through the station, with residual delays in both directions.

Lifeguards Save Boy’s Life at Dominion Hills Pool

By ARLnow.com

Lifeguard at the Dominion Hills pool (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)Lifeguards rescued a drowning boy at the Dominion Hills pool Wednesday evening.

The incident happened just after 5:00 p.m., at the private Dominion Hills Area Recreation Association pool at 6000 Wilson Blvd.

An 8 or 9 year old boy accidentally swallowed water while swimming and began struggling in the water, according to an Arlington County Fire Department spokesman. A lifeguard spotted the boy in distress and he was underwater by the time lifeguards reached him.

When the boy was pulled from the water, he had a pulse but was unconscious and not breathing, the spokesman said. Lifeguards performed rescue breathing and were eventually able to revive the boy, we’re told.

Paramedics arrived and transported the boy to Virginia Hospital Center for evaluation.

John Aldonis, the pool’s manager, declined to identify the lifeguards who saved the boy’s life but said they are local high school and college students.

“They did a great job,” Aldonis said. “They did everything correctly and followed the Red Cross protocols.”

Aldonis said this was the first time in recent memory that paramedics had to be called to the Dominion Hills pool for a life-threatening emergency.

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Medics and Patient Get Stuck in Elevator

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Fire Department BadgeArlington County paramedics encountered an added difficulty on the job when they became stuck in an elevator with a patient suffering a medical emergency this morning.

A crew responding to a medical emergency at the Whitmore apartments (4301 Columbia Pike) attended to the patient, who needed to be transported to the hospital. But they got stuck in the elevator on the way to the ambulance. A second engine crew initially was called to assist, but the crew already on scene managed to free the people in the elevator.

ACFD deputy fire marshal Brian McGraw said the impact to the patient was minimal because the stuck elevator delayed the medical workers for less than five minutes. He said medics were equipped to continue caring for the patient inside the elevator while they waited to be freed.

“It’s not a frequent issue,” said McGraw. “But from a patient care perspective, whenever we put a patient in an elevator, we have sufficient personnel and resources to render the care they need inside the elevator.”

McGraw would not comment on the nature of the patient’s medical emergency, but scanner traffic referred to the patient’s status as “priority 1,” which typically indicates someone with a life-threatening condition. The person was transported to Virginia Hospital Center.

Ambulance Bus Used to Transport 600+ Pound Patient

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County’s ambulance bus — typically used for mass casualty situations — was utilized this afternoon to transport a patient who reportedly weighed more than 600 pounds.

The ambulance bus and two additional ambulance crews were dispatched to the Cherrydale Health & Rehabilitation Center (3710 Lee Highway) to help take the man to the hospital around 3:15 p.m.

The man was suffering from an elevated temperature and a chronic infection, according to fire department radio traffic.

Lane Closures on the Pike Due to Medical Emergency

By ARLnow.com

Columbia Pike is down to one lane in each direction near S. Glebe Road due to a medical emergency.

Initial reports suggest an 82-year-old woman passed out in her car, possibly while waiting for a traffic light. Passersby tried to assist her, but by the time medics arrived she was not breathing and CPR was being performed.

Emergency vehicles are reported to be blocking one lane in each direction on Columbia Pike.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Candlelight Vigil for Hit and Run Victim — Friends of Zorigoo Munkhbayar gathered on the Rhodes Street Bridge Sunday night to mourn the 23-year-old’s tragic death. Munkhbayar was hit by a car — which then fled the scene — as he was walking down Route 50 early Friday morning. [Ode Street Tribune]

Residents Still Waiting for Promised Traffic Lights — Some residents are asking: Why haven’t traffic lights been installed at the intersections of N. Qunicy Street and 9th Street and Wilson Blvd and N. Pollard Street? After all, Arlington County has already collected tens of thousands of dollars from developers with the express purpose of installing traffic lights at the intersections. [Sun Gazette]

Clarendon Urgent Care Center Opens — Mid Atlantic Urgent Care opens today at 3301 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon. The seven-day-a-week medical office encourages walk-in visits from patients with non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries. [Mid Atlantic Urgent Care]

Disclosure: Mid Atlantic Urgent Care is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA