New York Heat Wave Raises Concerns over Public Safety as Temperatures Reach Record Highs
New York heat waves bring in record high temperatures, public safety concerns and an increase in emergency ambulance calls. Getting early assistance in case of an accident during a heat wave is vital. However, sometimes, that much needed help might not get there in time.
It was a hot Tuesday afternoon in 2013 at a Brooklyn campaign event for mayoral aspirant Christine Quinn. What began as a normal campaign meeting took an unexpected turn when an 18-year-old intern from the City Council collapsed on the sidewalk and could not get up. Immediate help was provided by Quinn’s security detail in the form of oxygen, while calls were made to 911. Participants at the meeting thought help was on its way, only to be rudely rebuffed.
Twenty minutes after making the call, there was no ambulance in sight and the girl’s condition deteriorated. Her breathing slowed and her pulse weakened. Quinn, who was by her side all the while, in the scorching heat, placed a call to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. She told him she needed help immediately. Still, an ambulance did not come.
It was only until an assistant of Quinn called Hatzolah, a Jewish volunteer ambulance service, that a fire truck pulled over and rushed the young girl to a hospital.
Heat waves are responsible for sharp escalations in weather-related ailments. These include:
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat strokes
- Respiratory ailments
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue
- Dehydration
- Troubled breathing
- Severe headaches
Scores of people suffer injuries during the summer due to heat-related illnesses and injuries. Getting immediate help is critical to prevent further injury to those who are ailing.
People-centered environments such as schools, workplaces and parks are required to ensure they have the correct facilities to immediately respond to heat-related emergencies, while council authorities are required to avail ambulances for emergency treatment. These requirements are established by law.
Under premises liability law, occupiers or owners of land are legally required to keep their premises safe for those operating on the land. This “reasonable amount of care” includes emergency response health kits and, where lacking, is actionable by law. Delays in ambulance arrivals caused by negligence on the part of local authorities can also bring forth a cause of action in negligence and the breach of a duty of care.
If you or anyone close to you has suffered aggravated personal injury, pain or suffering due to the negligence of another person, it is important that those responsible pay for their actions. The doctrines of negligence and premises liability are indeed complicated and require a legal mind for proper analysis.
The LaDuca law firm is the go-to legal team for personal injury cases in New York. With a successful track record of settlement and damages awarded in personal injury cases spanning over 40 years of legal practice, the attorneys at LaDuca will stand with you in getting the justice you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation or to schedule a meeting to discuss your case. We are available 24/7 to serve you.
