Follow-up news stories now say there is a clinic staffed with an M.D. close to the Hotel Quintessence at Mount Tremblant. If the ski instructor thought Natasha Richardson's fall was worrisome enough to warrant a call for an ambulance, then why didn't resort staff not have their medical personnel see her and insist that she be checked out and imaged if warranted ASAP? Most people don't understand the danger they could be in and that time is critical after they have "toppled right over and tumbled down the hill" (almost exact quote from early news stories). Many people try to be stoic good sports, particularly when on vacation. It seems the resort deferred to Ms. Richardson, which may have been respectful but misplaced as Ms. Richardson may not have been making good judgments after her fall -- and the resort staff did not know her well enough to judge from her baseline personality.
After the initial tragic decision to cancel the first ambulance, the delay was critical. It sounds like it was already too late by the time she reached Montreal, thus, even a helicopter after Ste. Agathe may have resulted in the same outcome. Could they have done more at Ste. Agathe, i.e., anticoagulating agents? These details have not emerged. Richardson's arrival at Ste. Agathe, and the treatment she received at that small hospital, was critical. This is such a wrenching story. And, it is seems short of a miracle that something like this didn't happened sooner at Mount Tremblant.
In the least call to action from this high-profile tragedy: Helmuts should be mandatory for minors and all beginners. Fine reporting from the Globe & Mail's Ingrid Peritz, et al. on this story.
Canadian in Silicon Valley, California
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