🚑 Ambulance contractor scrutinized

Ambulance Wait Times Under Scrutiny After Death of Woman Who Waited Ten Hours

In 2022, Pamela Hogan was found decomposing on the floor of her bedroom weeks after calling for an ambulance. The ambulance arrived ten hours after her initial call, but Hogan didn’t answer the phone. Now her estate is suing the city, and the city’s relationship with its ambulance contractor is under scrutiny.

• No Time Standards For Nurse-Ordered Ambulances: Many cities across the nation, Seattle included, have added 911 nurse lines to help stop overcrowding in hospitals. Nurses can offer telemedicine or an Uber ride to a clinic. They can also order an ambulance through the city’s for-profit ambulance contractor, American Medical Response. However, officials have excluded nurse-ordered ambulances from the city’s time standard (within an hour), and those waiting for ambulances aren’t able to update the nurse directly as their conditions evolve. The result? Longer waits and potential negative outcomes for the patient. [Seattle Times]
• How Do Other Cities Handle Wait Times? Other cities in Washington state also use AMR, like Spokane and Vancouver. Spokane exempts nurse-ordered ambulances from strict time limits like Seattle, but Vancouver tracks wait times, and AMR can be penalized. Cities like Fort Worth, Texas, have triggers that upgrade their response based on callbacks by the patient or ambulance delays. [Seattle Times]
• AMR Contract, Exempted Time Standards Will Continue: City officials signed a new, five-year contract with AMR in September and are still exempting nurse-ordered ambulances from oversight. Long wait times could continue. [Seattle Times]

Hannah Sabio-Howell Challenging 43rd’s Pedersen From the Left ⬅️

Former Washington? Senate staffer and communications director for labor advocacy group Working Washington, Hannah Sabio-Howell, announced her candidacy for Seattle’s 43rd District on Monday. She will be running against long-time Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, whom she says has taken a “corporate and incrementalist” approach to policymaking. The 43rd district comprises part of Capitol Hill, the University District, Fremont, Belltown, Montlake, Eastlake, and Laurelhurst. [The Urbanist]

Tell State Parks What Should Be Next for Blake Island ⛴️

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is developing a master plan for the future of Blake Island Marine State Park, a small island between Vashon and Bainbridge Island. They are seeking input from tribal governments and the public to guide those decisions. Argosy Cruises once offered a cruise to the island, but it closed down its travel and concessions there in 2021 as a result of COVID. Read about the plan here, and comments can be left here. [West Seattle Blog]

Are “Microtheaters” and Repertory Screenings the Future of Moviegoing? 🍿

Movie theaters are having a tough time with franchise entertainment dominating screens for long periods of time, while other smaller films appear on streaming quickly. What does appear to be working is the approach taken by smaller local venues. The Beacon features cult & hard-to-stream films, the Northwest Film Forum screens mission-aligned films mixed with lighter fare, and the Majestic Bay offers a Retro Night. Meanwhile, SIFF is seeing success with smaller films at SIFF Uptown and The Film Center. The takeaway here is that people want to go to the movies, but they may be looking for a smaller and more intimate experience from the movies. If you’re looking for a place to see movies that isn’t a multiplex, check out our list. [Seattle Times]