Joseph Head's family wants answers in Manitoba Hydro camp worker's death
Head's wife says he would be alive if ambulance response time from camp was faster
The family of Joseph Head, who died while working in a Manitoba Hydro camp in the province's north last year, say they believe not enough was done to save his life.
The 65-year-old was working as a carpenter at the Keeyask hydroelectric project site when on Oct. 16, 2014, he experienced a brain bleed that caused a stroke, a heart attack and ultimately his death, according to his wife, Valerie Head.
Head said camp paramedics transported her husband by ambulance to the hospital in Gillam, Man.
"The ambulance, 20 minutes was dead time there, and then another hour and a half on the road and having to stop five times on the side of the road," she said.
"Every time they had to use the defibrillator, they pulled over on the highway," added Kristy Knox-Head, their daughter-in-law.
Valerie Head said she believes her husband would be alive today if the response time was faster, or if there was a medevac or air ambulance on site.
Medical care meets guidelines, says Hydro
Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Scott Powell told CBC News there are six paramedics on site, including advanced primary care paramedics.
"There's more ability to treat somebody in an ambulance; that's why we have two ambulances on site," he said.
The ambulance team from Criti Care followed all protocols in this case, Powell said. It arrived within 30 minutes, which is a set provincial response time, he said.
"This is an unfortunate medical condition," Powell said.
"We're comfortable with the level of care that was provided to Mr. Head at that time, and the response we provided."
Criti Care CEO Bill Sommers told CBC News that while he understands the family's grief, Joseph Head received medical care faster than at most remote sites in Manitoba.
While there are helicopters at the Keeyask site, they are not medical helicopters, Sommers said. As well, paramedics generally do not transport patients experiencing cardiac arrest by air, he said.
But Valerie Head said Hydro's response is not enough. The family will be joined by Manitoba First Nations leaders at a news conference on Thursday to question the care that Joseph Head received.
"You know what I got from Manitoba Hydro? A fruit basket that said, 'Our condolences. Manitoba Hydro,'" she said.
"[It's] like a slap in the face. I never heard a voice say, 'Mrs. Head, we're very sorry for your loss.' I have never heard that from Manitoba Hydro, face-to-face or on the phone."
Call for Inquiry
"It is a concern for us as leadership, and we want to make sure we work with the families and work with Manitoba Hydro and such to rectify this situation so that it doesn't happen to our citizens again," he said.
Hart said he has been in talks with Hydro and is working to set up meetings.
The province said this is the first request for an inquiry into Head's death.