Ambulances race to Robert Byrd's home

Politico ^

[Sub-Driver]

Ambulances race to Byrd's home By: Manu Raju September 22, 2009 10:16 AM EST

Ambulances and fire trucks were dispatched to the Northern Virginia home of Sen. Robert Byrd Tuesday morning.

A neighbor of the 91-year-old West Virginia Democrat said several ambulances were outside his residence in McLean, Va., and a Byrd spokesman said the senator suffered a fall in his home. An officer at the McLean Fire Department said that a unit was dispatched at 9:10 to the address where Byrd lives, but he declined to comment on the substance of the response.

Byrd – the longest-serving senator in the nation’s history – has been absent from the Senate for much of the year and has been in and out of the hospital battling various ailments.

“Byrd apparently stood up too fast this morning in his home and fell down,” said Jesse Jacobs, a spokesman for the senator. “To err on the side of caution his caregiver called an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital where he is currently being checked out. At this point in time there is no indication that he will be admitted.”

[pillut48]

Source
Orthostatic hypotension is brought on by a sudden change in body position, usually when shifting from lying down to standing. This type of hypotension usually lasts only a few seconds or minutes. If this type of hypotension occurs after eating, it is called postprandial orthostatic hypotension. This form most commonly affects older adults, those with high blood pressure, and persons with Parkinson's disease.

NMH most often affects young adults and children. It occurs when a person has been standing for a long time. Children usually outgrow this type of hypotension.

[Theodore R.]

If word gets out about renaming counties, there will be King counties far beyond Seattle.

[taraytarah]

Jesse Jackson dispatched an ambulance from Rwanda. Had volunteer EMT's pose for pictures first.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Why the hell are the taxpayers still paying the salary of this man who does not even go to work?

[Verginius Rufus]

I think King Co., Washington, was originally named for William Rufus King, Vice President in 1853 (who died after about 6 weeks in office), but is now officially named for the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[napscoordinator]

Prayers to him and his family.

[fieldmarshaldj]

What did gay rights activists have to say about that “renaming” ?

[bray]

Have to keep his vote so the Ambulances won’t come for us.

Pray for America

[FoxInSocks]

I took an EMT class here in San Diego. The range of the abilities of an EMT are very limited here(due to lawsuits).

That's unfortunate and somewhat surprising to me -- but I live all the way on the other side of the country! If you're within your scope of practice and not negligent, there shouldn't be an issue; of course, anyone can sue anyone for anything, and all that litigation costs money.

It is not a requirement to have a fire fighter rated as an EMT. I think there are only two stations here that don’t require it.

Sure, it totally depends on where you are. Offhand, I can think of at least three counties here where firefighters must pass the state EMT-B test at the fire academy.

But you are pretty much guranteed a job if you get your paramedic rating. They are in extremely high demand here.

Same here. Notwithstanding the severe competition and the slowdown with hiring due to budgetary shortfalls, a paramedic can still get a job.

[TheThinker]

But I will say this about the old coot, that he was eloquent even in his bigotry.

And that's really the problem, that Republicans tend to be much more blunt and so more offensive even while not being racially offensive or insensitive.

[bustinchops]

Looks like the last of the KKK Dixiecrats is on his way out.

[Westlander]

The light in his attic burnt out decades ago.

(wouldn’t you rather be at Bond Falls or Copper Harbor this time of year?)

[Colorado Cowgirl]

All in good time. You can cheat a lot of things in this life, but you won’t cheat Death.

[Gondring]

WVA will be voting for Byrd 15 years after he’s gone. Everything in the state is named after him, but the state. He’s responsible for more federal jobs in WVA than any 10 presidents.

Exactly.

[Dixie Yooper]

(wouldn’t you rather be at Bond Falls or Copper Harbor this time of year?) Too many tourists running around at those places. This time of year camping at Imp Lake is what I dream of.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Uh-oh. Byrd was one of the Dems who voted against amnesty in 2007.

[ScottinVA]

It’s time for Sheets to put in his retirement papers.

[ScottinVA]

If it were in West Virginia, Byrd would’ve been taken to the Robert Byrd Hospital, located on Robert Byrd Blvd two addresses down from the Robert Byrd Federal Building, south of the Robert Byrd Bridge, located in Sheetsville, WVA.

[SlayerOfBunnies]

So when this sack of human effluence checks out, will the press lionize him or less than they did that guy that killed Mary Jo Kopechne?

[Verginius Rufus]

I don’t know but I don’t think anyone cared about VP King. He’s the only Vice President since John Adams never to set foot in Washington during his time in office (he was too ill to make it to the inauguration and was given the oath of office elsewhere).