06/24/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Salem, NH – A 53-year-old woman was found not breathing and without a pulse Monday, June 21, 2010, after power was shut off to her home, thus shutting off her oxygen machine, as reported by www.wmur.com.
Kay Phaneuf was listed in critical condition at Holy Farm Hospital in Methuen, Mass., as of Wednesday, June 23. Police told reporters Phaneuf’s husband called 911 after he found her unconscious in their home Monday morning.
Sgt. Rob Morin said, “The units discovered there was a female who was unresponsive… Salem fire initiated resuscitation. She was resuscitated.”
Police also reported that they found several oxygen tanks inside the home and one in a vehicle at the home. They said power had been shut off at the home at approximately 9 a.m., an hour before she was found.
A spokesman for the National Grid said a worker went to the home to shut off the service, knocked on the door, and when nobody answered, disconnected the lines.
WMUR reported that the home’s front door has a red note taped to it that states oxygen is in use, but a National Grid spokesman replied that he was unaware if it was there when the worker visited the home.
New Hampshire state law prohibits power from being shut off to a home where someone has a medical emergency. Under the guidelines of the law, though, the person with the medical needs must tell the company of the problem and keep the company updated on its existence.
National Grid acknowledged past medical notes on the Phaneuf’s account, but said there was nothing current.
A spokesman for National Grid would not reveal why the power was shut off, but explained that all proper procedures were followed, to the best of his knowledge.
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