Two stabbed in Monterey; injuries "not life-threatening"

Two teens were sent to San Jose hospitals Monday after they were stabbed in what Monterey police are investigating as a gang-related attack.

[John]

How much does it cost to fly all these people to San Jose ? Why is it necessary and who is paying for it?

[Phred]

I couldn't agree more John. If you look up an old article in Smithsonian's Air and Space magazine some experts found that over 90 percent of the people airlifted did not need it. This incident is bothersome because they were transported to San Jose when their injuries were not life threatening.

[Phred]

Here is the link to the article about the constant misuse of air ambulances written by a Doctor. http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/comme...

[Central Coast Girl]

John wrote:

How much does it cost to fly all these people to San Jose ? Why is it necessary and who is paying for it?

I've heard it's real expensive, something like $40,000 per trip. If people have insurance, guess they pay the largest part of the tab. If no insurance, well, it's, either City or County taxpayer money that pays the tab. I think in "08", or "09" Salinas spent approx. 4 to 500,000 dollars flying the wounded gang bangers to the Bay Area Hospitals.

This is the second incident in Monterey. Guess the gang bangers are spreading out further throughout MoCo looking for new turf, new drug customers.

They are already moving through Marina and Seaside. Cancer spreads quickly without treatment. If you live in Salinas you must be aware of that fact.

But don't worry, Donohue and the Salinas City Council Members, LMAO, are on top of the gang banger crime in Salinas. The illegals and the gang bangers "own" the Salinas streets.

[Monterey Joe]

More serious crime in Monterey. Here it comes.

[something has to change]

no need to avoid Salinas, Salinas is coming to you

Step up neighborhood watch, It will get worse before Christmas, talk to your neighbors.
Anything suspicious, call the Sheriff, let them sort it out! They rather catch them in the act then do the clean up later!

Take down license plates,make of vehicle, how many people in the car etc.

[Humbertoitorito]

One question, are hospitals in this area so inept they can't treat these wounded morons? The aren't sent to burn units for crissakes, just everyday run of the mill plunging knife wounds and deep slashes. Do they have bigger band-aids in SJ? Obviously better Drs.

[Tony]

Oh, to be young and Mexican in a sanctuary city! Living the dream!

[benn murray]

Phred wrote:

I couldn't agree more John. If you look up an old article in Smithsonian's Air and Space magazine some experts found that over 90 percent of the people airlifted did not need it. This incident is bothersome because they were transported to San Jose when their injuries were not life threatening.

You are forgetting one thing. These individuals are our guests from south of the border and deserve only the best we have to offer. Don't be so cruel. Look out for our neighbors. Our County Supervisors do.

[come on]

A flight to San Jose when my family can't even afford a doctor's visit?! I hate what's going on around here!!

[Mexikookoo]

There's one solution to this problem and we all know what it is.

[Mexikookoo]

If there's way more gangsters than cops committing numerous crimes all day and all night, and they like jail, then the only solution is no trial when we know who's guilty and quick execution. I'm sick of this and it's escalating quickly. The curve is ramping up muchachos.

[Water-Viewer]

John wrote:

How much does it cost to fly all these people to San Jose ? Why is it necessary and who is paying for it?

I've heard it's somewhere around 35 grand for a Helicopter flight to San Jose. That's by the time they get the call. So, 5 min flight from Salinas to Monterey..........roughly 30-35 min flight to San Jose. Anyway you look at it, if you don't make that much money, good luck on paying that bill.
Hospital bill is another thing..........

[MrToy]

I'm glad somebody besides me is concerned about the cost of these so-called "life flights." CHOMP doesn't want to take trauma patients, even though they are perfectly capable of doing so when either a patient can't survive a flight or weather grounds the helicopters. I estimated that the minimum cost ($25,000) a single flight costs as much as the annual health insurance premiums of five county residents, and the 373 flights from Monterey County would have sucked up the annual insurance premiums of at least 1,800 people! And that's just for transportation, it doesn't include a penny for treatment! And then we wonder why health insurance costs so much. Calstar's $9 million annual budget would surely be better spent providing trauma TREATMENT within Monterey County.

I had a more detailed blog entry a few months ago here: http://mrtoysmentalnotes.blogspot.com/2010/04...

I'd sure like to see the local news media investigate this system. Besides costing a pile of cash, it takes patients away from the support of friends and family, who are then required to drive an hour or two (under severe emotional stress, no doubt) just to be with their loved ones and find out if they're going to make it. It's a messed up system if you ask me.

Before helicopters, patients went to CHOMP routinely, and lived.

-Mr. Toy
www.montereypeninsula.info

[SC_Local]

So if the injuries were not life threatening why were they Flown to hospitals further away? Plus who pays for that the gang banger parents, right.

[Seaside Gal]

We can post all we want on the internet but until we start speaking out and taking control of our government this will continue. Get out and do something, complaining does not solve problems, hard work does.
The Hispanic population is not going anywhere when they are given what they need to survive.

[hippyman]

REALLY??? dude, this is Monterey, not LA, Not Salinas, Not Gonzalez...keep that crap out of Monterey

[sadden]

Humbertoitorito wrote:

One question, are hospitals in this area so inept they can't treat these wounded morons?

Great question

[paul]

come on wrote:

A flight to San Jose when my family can't even afford a doctor's visit?! I hate what's going on around here!!

Spot on. it is truly outrageous. nothing but the best for parasites (including the politicians that instigate it) while the hosts kill themselves trying to pay for it all

[First Hand]

I work for a local public safety agency. Im not going to say who. Most of these life flight decisions are made due to mechanism of injury,(the possibility that major injuries occurred.) These decisions are made by the Paramedic on the PRIVATE (FOR PROFIT) ambulance because they are the "ranking" medical authority at the scene. The same ambulance that will talk people into taking a $1500-$2000 ride to the hospital for a sore throat. In there defense the guidelines they are following are written by the Monterey County Emergency Management Service Agency. The Medic is following "protocol".

So for example: If you were driving in a car and an accident occurred and one of the passengers in your car was killed, you would be flown out because the "mechanism" of the crash was sufficient to kill someone in your car. You may only have a cut on your head.

The big question is why upscale CHOMP wont/cant treat these patients? If we have so much TRAMA in the area why don't we demand at least one hospital to step up and become capable of dealing with these injuries. Most of the people that I have been involved with that have been flown out probably didn't need it. Again, this is the decision of the Paramedic on the ambulance.

As for all the bad mouthing about who is involved. Times are changing! You can no longer count on someone else to take care of you. The security of you and your family is up to you. There are only so many police, fire, ambulance units available. If you want to feel safe get involved. Call the police or better yet your elected officials and demand service/action. Take down a license plate number and report it. get a description and report it.

I love serving my community! Please get involved and we can change the trend. It will take all of us! GET IN YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS EAR AND DONT STOP!!