MY BLOG: Update Matthew Cantrell II

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Update Matthew Cantrell II

Family sues city of Murphy after toddler's death

12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 20, 2009
By MARK NORRIS / The Dallas Morning News
norrism@dallasnews.com

MURPHY – A family whose toddler son died after getting tangled in a backyard soccer net in 2007 filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the city of Murphy and the officers who responded to the emergency.

The suit claims the 911 dispatcher and responding police officers wasted critical time that contributed to Matthew Cantrell's death.

"The failures here are monumental," said Patrick J. Boyle, the Cantrells' attorney. "It's just a series of calamities."

Murphy city officials said they could not comment on the suit until June at the earliest, when it could be presented to the City Council and city attorneys for review.

Matthew, who was 21 months old, became entangled in the net after his mother fell asleep in October 2007. When Ave Cantrell woke up, she cut her son loose and called 911. The dispatcher told her to remain calm and did not respond to her question of how she could help revive her son.

Murphy police officials have said previously that dispatchers are not supposed to give medical advice.

Also named in the lawsuit is a private company, East Texas Medical Center, which the city 911 operator brought on the line for additional assistance during Ave Cantrell's panicked emergency call.

The ETMC medic brought on the line did not respond to Ave Cantrell's pleas for help, according to the suit, and instead asked her address.

Elmer Ellis, ETMC president, said Tuesday that he had not received a copy of the lawsuit and could not comment.

Police officers listed in the suit are Chief William Myrick, Lt. Adana Barber and officers Kevin McGee and Clayton Dacey.

McGee and Dacey were the initial responders to the scene. Dacey moved Ave Cantrell and her other son into the master bedroom and away from Matthew, who was left alone on the couch. McGee went outside to wait for the paramedics and to contact his superiors, according to the suit.

The suit states that Myrick told McGee to treat the incident as a crime and secure the scene. When paramedics arrived, McGee stopped them and told them the boy was already dead, according to the suit.

Paramedics were able to restore Matthew's heartbeat, but he died a few days later because of complications.

The Cantrells have previously criticized Murphy officials for the way its 911 operators and police responded to the incident, but only now, they say, are they ready to handle a trial.

"It can bring about some closure and can be beneficial," said Michael Cantrell, Matthew's father. "It's important that individuals that were associated with that specifically be held accountable for their actions."

The Cantrells are not seeking a specific amount of money. The suit asks that the amount be determined by a jury.

The Cantrells successfully got nearly 190,000 MacGregor and Mitre folding soccer goals recalled in September 2008.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/DN-soccernet_20met.ART.State.Edition1.4a0b947.html

Attn: Cell Phone Users

I'm adapting this from a pamphlet Mark picked up from the California NENA conference out in San Diego.

When Dialing 9-1-1 From Your Cell Phone

1. Call only for immediate emergency assistance - medical, fire, or police.

2. Be prepared to provide your location and any essential information the dispatcher may need.

3. Stay on the line until told to hang up. You may be transferred to another agency.

added edit

Cell phones cannot "text" 9-1-1. During the Virginia Tech massacre, many students tried texting 9-1-1 because they were afraid the killer would hear them.

Do not assume 9-1-1 can find you when using a cell phone. Cell phone signals go to the nearest "available" tower.

IMO, always call 9-1-1 in an emergency unless you are sure others have already called.

And, IMO, if you are distraught, if possible have a neighbor or other family member call 9-1-1 for you. They will most likely be able to listen and give clearer instructions.

Help Reduce Unnecessary Calls

Use non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement agency when you do not need immediate assistance.

If medical, fire or police are already on scene, it is not necessary to call 9-1-1 again. Instead, call a non-emergency number if you have additional information and witnessed the incident.

Do not call 9-1-1 for non-emergecy incidents (i.e., requesting road conditions, asking why traffic is backed up, requesting driving directions, or other similar reasons). Be prepared; contact your local FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office directly, using a non-emergency number.

Use or maintain a landline at home and at work for 9-1-1 calls, as the dispatcher is more likely to get accurate location information from a landline.

Using 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations prevents critical emergencies from being attended to.

DID YOU KNOW?

Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a cell phone and some households do not use a landline at all. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made daily nationwide.

Far too many cellular 9-1-1 phone calls, both non-emergency and repeat calls for the same incident, are tying up the 9-1-1 phone system. This results in unnecessary busy signals, disconnects, and delays in dispatch time for ture 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Not every 9-1-1 call is answered by your local law enforcement agency. Cell phone providers try to calculate you approximate location using cell towers or satellite positioning. If they cannot, the call will likely default to the Florida Highway Patrol and then be transferred to the appropriate agency. This means that non-emergency or repeat calls are wasting critical minutes or dispatchers' time.

If you call 9-1-1 from you cell phone or an inactive phone, your phone number and location information may not be available to the dispatcher. Know your surroundings (street address, landmarks, mileposts) when calling 9-1-1. This will save valuable seconds in an emergency.

Avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls

Accidental cell phone calls can congest the 9-1-1 phone system. Accidental calls occur when the phone is placed in a pocket, belt clip, or purse, and a pre-programmed emergency button is bumped. Even a locked phone can dial 9-1-1.

Help Avoid Accidental Calls With the Following Tips

Do not hang up on an accidental 9-1-1 call. Inform the dispatcher that the call was an accident before you hang up.

Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your or your child's cell phone's speed dial. This can lead to accidental calls.

Teach your child how and when to dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Train them to press 9-1-1 and the "send" button only in an emergency.

Even cell phones without active service can dial 9-1-1. Take batteries out of cell phones before recycling them or giving them to a child to play with.

Don't call 9-1-1 to check to see if you cell phone works. 9-1-1 is to be used for emergency calls only.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Update Matthew Cantrell II

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Attn: Cell Phone Users