EMS Response 'Within Normal Time' In Death Of Champagne Heights Woman

South Kingstown Emergency Medical Services officials reported the  response time to the Champagne Heights apartment complex early Monday morning was within the normal interval, despite the death of a
45-year-old woman.

Juanita Morales, of 364 Curtis Corner Road Apartment B8, died  suddenly after suffering an asthma attack, according to reports. Contradicting signs on the complex’s units, which are managed by the South Kingstown Housing Authority, pointed EMS responders to a building that they believed contained Morales apartment, B8, when in fact the actual unit was located on the other side of the parking lot.

“I believe it identifies a whole set of buildings for the fire department,” said Vice Commissioner to the South Kingstown Housing Authority
Gail Rashad Faris. “I’m not familiar with the numbering system and I do not know the rationale behind it.”

Faris, who serves a five-year term on the town’s Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, said her involvement centers on larger
policy issues, but noted that day-to-day operational procedure is handled by the authority’s executive director, Mary E. Asselin, who will return from vacation on Monday.

Although SKEMS Director Michael DiMello admitted responders were confused by the numbering system employed at the complex, he said it resulted in less than a one-minute delay in rescue services.

“We were there in, I believe, three minutes and 38 seconds of the call, which is well within our normal response time,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “Whether it could have prevented her death, I could not make that call.”

Faris said the Housing Authority would perform its due diligence to ensure any instances of similar confusion do not occur because of
the complex’s numerical system.

“At this particular time we do not have any comment as to what happened in regard to the confusion,” she said. “When the commissioners get together and the executive director returns from vacation [on Monday], we will sit down and talk about this and what we will do next.”