Airport ambulance makes DIA a safe bet.

by Jameson Meade, Denver Airports Examiner

Travel safer with DIA's ambulance service

According to thedenverchannel.com, DIA will finally get its very own ambulance stationed permanently at the airport. The report, which aired on Denver News Channel 7 and is published on the channel's website, states that this vital safety tool has been a long time coming.

Denver Health, which is the city of Denver's contract ambulance provider, will begin the service at DIA on February 11. This should cut the excessive ambulance response time from an astounding 33 minutes to just a fraction of that time.

Unfortunately, these changes come after a DIA passenger lost his life waiting on an ambulance after he suffered a pulmonary embolism last July. In this case, the report notes, the man waited 33 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.

Personally, I am pleased to see that an ambulance will be a permanent fixture of the Denver International Airport. This will make DIA a more safe environment for passengers and employees alike. While we cannot change the location of DIA and its proximity to hospitals in the area, having an ambulance ready at all times will drastically cut down the time it takes a patient to reach health care facilities. Many people may not be aware that DIA does have a health clinic located in the main terminal. This clinic, along with the added ambulance service should help ensure the safety of everyone at the airport.

As a DIA employee, I am always astounded to see the number of medical occurrences that take place at the airport. Most of these issues are minor and can be handled by the team of paramedics already located at the airport, however some can become more severe. Passengers arrive at the airport nervous about their flights, stressed over schedules, on medication, and sleep deprived. These factors, along with the high Colorado elevation, can combine to make a toxic mix for some passengers.