Bell was on top of a grain bin when a down spout shifted and struck him in the face. Paramedics worked to revive him and determined that Bell should be transported to a trauma center in Indianapolis. But the staff at the Sullivan County Community Hospital overruled the decision and asked that he be brought there. Lifeline eventually was called, but Bell arrived at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis two hours after his fall. In Indiana, there are no state guidelines on how emergencies should be handled.
Local governments decide what protocol is used.
Indianapolis Lifeline responds to actual emergency scenes only 16 percent of the time. Every county council or township trustee has decided to run their system a little bit different than the next guy. Officials at Sullivan County Community Hospital refused an RTV6 request for an interview about Bell's case, but released a statement. Generally, a patient is brought to the hospital for a thorough evaluation and determination of the extent of injury prior to Lifeline being called in. Lifeline Program Director Jill Perry said that it can be frustrating when some hospitals refuse to take a paramedic's recommendation.