Sun Sep 15 16:52:59 UTC 2024: ## Elderly Man Dies After Four-Hour Wait for Ambulance in Melbourne
**Melbourne, Australia** – A 69-year-old man from Surrey Hills has tragically passed away after waiting four hours for an ambulance following a fall at his home. The incident has highlighted a critical shortage of ambulance crews in Victoria, according to the Victorian Ambulance Union.
The union’s secretary, Danny Hill, stated that neighbors called for an ambulance around 2 am on Saturday after hearing the man calling for help. However, due to stretched resources, an ambulance did not arrive until 6 am.
Mr. Hill described the death as “incredibly sad” and a devastating loss for the man’s family and the paramedics who were unable to provide timely assistance. He emphasized the immense pressure on ambulance crews, stating, “With resources so stretched, the workload being what it is, it’s just become impossible.”
He acknowledged the impossibility of knowing what could have happened if paramedics arrived sooner, but he believes the situation may have been different if the man had received timely medical attention.
The union reported that 50 ambulance crews were unavailable on Saturday night due to a high number of paramedics on sick leave, resulting in only 90 crews working the night shift across Victoria.
In a statement, Ambulance Victoria expressed their condolences to the man’s family and confirmed that they were reviewing the case. The agency stated that the death would be referred to the coroner and that the health system was experiencing heavy demand due to seasonal illness.
Ambulance Victoria reiterated their commitment to responding to the sickest and most time-critical patients and assured the public that they are deploying as many crews as possible.
First Piper 