MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee city leaders are weighing in on how the Milwaukee Fire Department and private ambulance contractors handle emergency calls when they aren’t able to locate the person needing help.

It was a major topic of discussion at Milwaukee’s Common Council meeting Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • The Milwaukee Common Council is urging Milwaukee Fire Department and ambulance providers to change protocol. 

  • A resolution urges first responders to get out of ambulance to search for victims. 

  • New contracts with Bell Ambulance and Curtis Ambulance are delayed. 

It comes after 49-year-old Jolene Waldref died on Jan. 15 near a bus stop at 76th and Congress on the city’s northwest side. 

Waldref called 911 and a private ambulance run by Curtis Ambulance arrived within minutes. However, EMTs said they could not find Waldref and left the scene. Getting out of the ambulance to search was not required protocol.

More than twenty minutes later, a driver passing by saw Waldref on the ground and called police. The Milwaukee Fire Department responded, but it was too late.

Tuesday, the Common Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the Milwaukee Fire Department and private ambulance companies to change policy for searching for those who have called for help.

The resolution encourages a change which would require first responders to get out of their ambulance and search for and around the location where a 911 call comes from, in the event someone fell or is unresponsive.

Tuesday the council also voted to delay new contracts to the city’s two private ambulance providers, Bell Ambulance and Curtis Ambulance, until they see proof of a policy change in writing.

“This is an opportunity for us to get it right,” said Alderman Lamont Westmorland. “Somebody lost their life. This is not going to bring that person back, however, we all owe it to everybody that is paying for this service that we get this right. We need to protect everybody that is calling for help. If they are falling down, if they are on the ground, if they can’t be seen, every avenue needs to be explored to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” 

Alderman Westmorland acknowledged that first responder standard operating procedures are not actually written into city contracts like the ones with Curtis and Bell. However, Westmorland said waiting to extend their service contracts until action is taken sends an important message.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, as well as Bell Ambulance and Curtis Ambulance.

A spokesperson for Bell Ambulance said they would not be available for comment until after a scheduled meeting with the Milwaukee Fire Department Wednesday.

Spectrum News 1 has not yet heard back from Chief Lipski or Curtis Ambulance.

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