Winthrop taking a hard look at ambulance services after toddler’s death

State officials are investigating why an ambulance was not available when a 2-year-old child went into cardiac arrest in Winthrop last Friday, an incident that prompted the town’s fire chief to rush the toddler to the hospital himself.

Two firefighters rode in the back seat and performed CPR on the unidentified girl, who was pronounced dead at Massachusetts General Hospital a short time later, The Boston Globe reported.

“It’s one of the most difficult calls I’ve been on,” Fire Chief Scott Wiley later told reporters, per WCVB footage.

Wiley was among several Winthrop leaders who met with Action Ambulance Service Inc. Monday to discuss local emergency medical response. In a press release, he indicated that Winthrop has been satisfied with the company, which keeps two ambulances in town for medical emergencies.

A preliminary analysis found that both ambulances were taking other Winthrop residents to local hospitals when the call came in about a 2-year-old child who wasn’t breathing, according to the town’s press release. No other mutual aid ambulances were available at the time.

Citing information from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the Globe reported that initial autopsy results determined the girl’s death was “consistent with an illness.” In a statement Friday, the DA’s office said an initial investigation indicated no signs of foul play or physical trauma.

According to the Globe, the child lived in the home of former Winthrop Police Lt. James A. Feeley, who was charged last month with aggravated child rape and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14. Feeley, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been in custody since his Dec. 27 arraignment.

‘It’s not just a local problem’

The Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services is now looking into Friday’s incident, and Winthrop and Action Ambulance officials are cooperating fully with the investigation, according to the town’s press release. Boston.com has reached out to Action Ambulance for comment.

The state’s Department of Public Health, which oversees the Office of Emergency Medical Services, confirmed that the ambulance service has submitted a serious incident report to DPH as required by state law.

“The recent death of a 2-year-old Winthrop child is heartbreaking, and our thoughts are with her grieving family during this difficult time,” a DPH spokesperson said in a statement. “Action Ambulance has submitted a serious incident report to the Department of Public Health. The Department is awaiting the ambulance service’s thorough investigation report and plan of correction.”

The department said it hasn’t received any recent complaints about Action Ambulance’s response times.

In their press release, Winthrop officials suggested the issue last Friday lay with the mutual aid system, to which Action must provide ambulances under state law. That system, officials said, “has repeatedly pulled ambulances based in Winthrop out of town for calls in other communities, leaving the town with fewer than two ambulances to respond to calls at times.”

Ambulance services in other communities are also obligated to send an ambulance to Winthrop if one is available, according to the press release. Monday’s meeting touched on potential ways to improve the mutual aid system and boost cooperation between Action Ambulance and other local ambulance providers, officials explained.

According to DPH, the town of Winthrop does not have a department-approved service zone plan covering the optimal use of available EMS resources and emergency response coordination.

Staffing was another concern for local officials at Monday’s meeting; as the Globe reported, staffing shortages at EMT companies and overcrowding at hospitals are two of the challenges contributing to slower ambulance response times.

“It’s not just a local problem,” Wiley told reporters, per WBZ footage. “It’s not even a regional problem — this is a national problem.”

Winthrop’s next steps include bringing the mutual aid conversation to state and legislative leaders, according to the press release.

“Our community is eager for information, and I want to thank Action Ambulance for their honest and open dialogue today,” Town Manager Anthony Marino said in a statement. “Our hearts collectively pour out for the family in mourning today, and we pledge to be open and transparent with our residents and with state officials.”

Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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