A woman was reported to have overdosed on American University’s campus over the weekend, but a mix-up regarding where to send help led emergency crews to the wrong place.
Someone called 911 early Sunday morning to report an overdose on the Northwest D.C. campus.
“Medic Local Engine 2, Medic 2, responding for an overdose. A 19-year-old female at McDowell Hall, 400 Mass Avenue Northwest,” a dispatcher can be heard saying.
A crew responded to 400 Massachusetts Ave. NW and found that the emergency was about five miles away, at 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, according to dispatch audio.
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“Can we verify the address? We’re at 400 Mass Avenue. No one here has called,” a paramedic said.
Safety advocate Dave Statter sounded the alarm and called for accountability.
“Every second counts, every minute counts, in an emergency,” he said.
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What happened to the woman reported to have overdosed was unclear.
“We do know that they waited for an ambulance to come and for firefighters to arrive,” Statter said, estimating a delay of 13 minutes.
The D.C. Office of Unified Communications, which handles 911 calls, declined to comment on the response to the call.
An American University representative said DC Fire and EMS was called to the campus because a visitor was having a medical emergency. School officials are working on the appropriate approach to making Narcan, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose, available on campus.
“We support training and education for the community on Narcan use and safety,” the AU representative said.
Statter recommended knowing exactly where you are so you can help yourself in an emergency.
