A Storm Casualty in Kensington

A man died, the Times says, at 135 Ocean Parkway between Caton and Albemarle after an ambulance couldn't reach him.

The News has the full story:

An elderly Brooklyn man died in his home Monday after the 911 backlog caused by the storm delayed an ambulance for hours, sources said.

Joel Grossman, 73, first dialed 911 about noon Monday from his Kensington apartment to complain he felt ill, the sources said.

Because the situation was not deemed life-threatening, crews stretched thin by a high call volume and hampered by impassable streets were not sent to the Ocean Parkway home.

The man continued to stay in touch with the 911 dispatcher, each calling the other at least once, but because he said only that he felt sick, no units were sent, sources said.

"He called us hourly, saying the ambulance was not here," said family friend Richard Faber, 73. The neighbor dialed 911 again, and at 7 p.m., the 911 dispatcher sent a unit - but the streets were so clogged with snow they didn't get there right away, sources said....

Instead, the private volunteer Hatzolah ambulance service, which was summoned by another neighbor, arrived to find Grossman unresponsive.

When an Emergency Medical Service crew finally arrived at 7:48 p.m., it pronounced Grossman dead, the sources said.

A spokeswoman for the city medical examiner said Grossman died of natural causes from cardiovascular disease.