Today's Action Is Support

Dear Readers, I am passing on this e-mail, because this is what I call adding insult to injury. Don't get me wrong, I can understand and respect the need for cities to charge a fee for ambulances. After all, without some fees, some people would use them as medical taxis, But--But in this situation>>>>

This past New Year's Eve was one of the worst nights of my life. That's the night my father died waiting for an ambulance that never came.

Around 1am, my father was having trouble breathing, so I called 911. The nearest fire station is just one mile from our house in DC, at most a 5 minute drive. Firefighters arrived in just ten minutes, but no ambulance. I watched my father struggle to stay alive as we waited for Emergency Medical Services. And waited. And waited.

The ambulance that finally came 40 minutes later wasn't even from DC -- it had to come from another state entirely. By the time it arrived, my father was already dead.

Despite this, the DC Fire Department is charging my family $780 for an ambulance it never sent. I started a petition on Change.org demanding they waive the fee -- will you click here to sign?

So why did my father die waiting for an ambulance when there's a fire station just a mile from our house? It turns out that on New Year's Eve, nearly one third of DC's firefighters called in sick, meaning ambulances sat empty in fire stations. 

Long response times are a huge problem for ambulances, firefighters and police in cities all over America. The DC fire department needs to see that it can't just let my father die and then take my family's money.

My father was only 72 years old, a retired Air Force Veteran. He did not have to die on New Year's night. And my family certainly shouldn't be charged money for the reason he did.

Click here to sign my petition demanding that the DC Fire Department waive a $780 fee for an ambulance that never came to save my father.

Thank you,

Durand Ford, Jr.
Washington, DC

PS: If you've ever had to wait too long for an ambulance or other emergency services, tell us your story in the "Reasons for signing" comment section on the petition.

Personally, I have not had this experience. I have been blessed not to have need of emergency care, but then, again, this blog is simply gathered by me--Not About Me--It is about me being of service, which includes>>>>>

Support President Obama's Plan to End Gun Violence

In his State of the Union address, President Obama honored several victims of gun violence and urged Congress to take action to end these tragic deaths.

After years on the political backburner, we now have the momentum to make real progress against gun violence. We can't let this moment slip away.

For today's Daily Action, tell Congress you support President Obama's plan to take action against gun violence

If You Have Not already done so, please, do so. Thank You.