Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comA woman who needed powered oxygen equipment to breathe died after she did not pay the power bill and a utility shut off her electricity, police said Friday. State officials were investigating whether any regulations were broken.
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Until we know whether the utility gave their requried 2 weeks notice and whether the customer made known their issues, hard to make a judgement.
The story says that she had done the required letter from her doctor.
It doesn't take a God Damn rocket scientist to figure out, from the above quoted text from the article, that IF the account had a Medical Notice in the past, with the possibility that it COULD lapse on the resident; And the fact that National Grid is a huge multinational corporation with billions of dollars in assets; I would assume that the company would be smart enough to have a PROGRAM in place to REVIEW these "shut-offs" before they kill people who "were" on a letter AND ARE STILL AT THE SAME GOD DAMN ADDRESS! National Grid is the cheapest God Damn company on the planet and their cheap business practices have shone through with flying colors time and time again. I would venture a guess and say that some expensive, "Time Study Expert" said that it would COST too much to PAY someone to review these "shut-offs."......GRIDIOTS !!
Although it is sad what happened to personal responsibility?? If they had had one in the past why didn't the CUSTOMER renew it?? Why should businesses have to be responsible for them?
Permits expire all of the time....How should National Grid know whether or not the order was going to be renewed??
I don't know about you Waldo but I NEVER rely on someone else to alert me about ANYTHING I may have that expires from time to time....*I* keep a record of any of that and make sure *I* renew it......
Actually, it's easy to make a judgement. In a country where billions in tax dollars are used to support a welfare system in which people with 3000 square foot homes, Mercedes Benzes and diamond rings walk into grocery stores and buy steaks with food stamps... yeah, letting a little old lady die because she missed some payments on energy SUBSIDIZED with her taxes in the first place... a god damn travesty.
Given that the woman had already given the company a doctor's notice in the past, I would think that the company should have absolute verification that she did not still need the power to survive before cutting it off.
For those of you who think that this was a valid outcome because of a lapse of personal responsibility, there is no more confusing and depressing situation than being elderly and/or ill and having to jump through all the hoops put in your way to get or maintain even a modicum of help.
Thank goodness I came across this article. I also live on oxygen and I hadn't a clue that these options were available to me to insure that when the flow of electricity is compromised my life won't be. I will be passing this information to others I know who rely on their oxygen supply to live.
That's wonderful Rob 68. I'm glad that you are so independent and self sufficient. But what about those who aren't independent or self sufficient. A chronic breathing disability, in this case, doesn't preclude another or many more medical problems that that particular person might be suffering from. Maybe she was divorced without family coming in to check on her. Maybe the husband worked. Maybe the county health nurse comes only three times a week or maybe the electric service man came two minutes after the nurse left and the home owner was asleep?
The fact of the matter IS, that the Gridiots shut her Oxygen concentrator off, by booting her meter off and she slowly succumbed to lack of oxygen; too weak to call or help herself. The fact of the matter IS, that the Gridiots can and should have had a plan in place to catch those who fall through the cracks. The company certainly has the where with all to accomplish a task they may not want to fund because of COSTS.
A few short years ago (2005) your illustrious politicians weakened and changed the utility laws in this country to allow foreign ownership of such important strategic assets. Foreign ownership was disallowed in a law dating back to the mid 30's. They couldn't own Power, Gas, communication and water systems for obvious reasons just prior to WW2. Now the cheap A$$ Gridiots own several utilities in the East through several states. The body count has only begun to rise because of their cheap a$$ ways.
I checked, and the BBB gave this company a rating of A+. Problem is, there were 54 complaints total, for the time period studied. That and I saw a customer gripe site, and they seem to hate the company with a passion!
1.8 - BBB is no longer a viable determinant of what constitutes an ethical business from a corrupt business. It is best to collect data from complainants or consult Consumer Reports and the local Chambers of Commerce. Word of mouth remains the most powerful business tool.
1.7 - State costs containment report in New Hampshire is quite remarkable and effects many:
http://admin.state.nh.us/occ/
http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Regulatory/Orders/2010orders/25079e.pdf
http://www.ferc.gov/
That will teach a lesson to everyone, don't be late on your power bill; just because the power company had a Medicare dependant notice, emergency back up needed, does not excuse you from being delinquent on your bill. Corporations are very generous and caring organizations, as long as you feed them your money!f
WALDO------------ Another little lib, with a mouth and an opinion.
It says must do it every 60 days, and the company said only 90 days.
If you are so stupid that you cant get notice to a company every 90 days, knowing that you have to have electricity to live, then you are to dumb to live, get the genes out of the pool.
Do you also think the company is responsible if a natural disaster puts the electricity out for 2 weeks.
Geez go away dumbo.
Jerry-352313: I just KNOW I'm going to be sorry I wrote this but I'm going to do it anyway. If you are going to call someone else "dumbo" you really should check the syntax, spelling and general lack of literacy in your comment first.
ACCIDENTAL ________— Well, yes there seems to be little doubt, that you are sorry.
However it's doubtful, that, much can be done for you.
Incidentally, we all have a copy, of the democratic parasitical handbook, by now.
Page one, When faced with a situation that you don't like, and have no facts to rebut, ridicule, ridicukle, ridicule.
Be patient, in Novemeber, we will remove most of the liberal vampires, you might want to look for some "relearn to work" classes, going to get ugly for the leeches who feel the taxpayer owes them a living.
Waldo...It says she was married.....
Jerry-352313: Sorry to disappoint you but I'm a born and bred 3rd generation CONSERVATIVE and I'm sure that I find "liberal vampires" as distasteful as you do. I just happen to think that name-calling isn't the way to make your case. Frankly, you make conservatives look bad when you call people "dumbo" just because they don't happen to agree with you. As a rule, when I'm faced with a situation I don't like I EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE - you are the one using "ridicule" against those on this site who doesn't agree with you. FYI: I don't plan to respond to any further remarks directed my way from you unless they are constructive and pertain to the issue at hand, which - believe it or not - doesn't have anyting to do with liberal vs. conservative values!
ACCIDENTAL------- Yes of course, you are 3rd generation conservative.
Respond, or not, as you like.
At some point this country will have to, again, require it's citizens to show some measure, of responsibility for their own livelhood.
If you would like to pretend that you have some valid reason for your posts, other that the world should take care of all of it's people, feel free, as far, as I am concerned you have labeled yourself and shown the world, your priorities and worth.
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry..........Your sentence structure and syntax would indicate to me that you must be an employee of either the building and grounds crew or the Gas Department at National Grid. But I won't stoop to personal name calling........... You say:
"If you are so stupid that you cant get notice to a company every 90 days, knowing that you have to have electricity to live, then you are to dumb to live, get the genes out of the pool."
Maybe you should put your Sherlock Holmes hat on and grab your magnifying glass and run down there and ask the husband why he didn't (or she didn't) comply with your request. You wouldn't suppose those people, with all they have on their minds with her disability and an unpaid power bill they either couldn't pay or forgot to pay, might have forgotten about it? How old are they Sherlock? I'm almost 59 and I forget things on a daily basis. Now read real carefully: Even I wouldn't call those people who lost a loved one stupid. National Grid shut their power off and a person died. That shouldn't happen today but it did. At the end of the day National Grid should have AND COULD HAVE tried a lot harder to avoid what happened.
...........and oh.....by the way......I'm an Independent and I could never be considered "little." and my jeans are in the dryer............
WALDO------------- Sunshine, independent, nah, I don't think so.
Your comments on my lack of skills with the english language, give me a couple of weeks to think about it, i don't think there is anything I have less concern about than your opinions of my english language skills, but to be fair, I would like to think about it .
Waldo, geez sunshine, National Grid, runs a utility company. They have programs that address situations like this, how much money shoul they spend on them?
Why would I want to check on her husband, or why would the company want to check on her husband.
You would think that any one who is almost 59 yo would understand that the world expects you to assume respons8ibility for your welfare.
Wasn't it during the winter of this year or was it last year, a similar case occurred to an elderly gentleman whose electricity was shut off during the winter. As you can guess he died...hypothermia..
It was not as if he did not have the money as he left something like over 800-900 thousand dollars. The check was in the envelope with the electricity bill, on the man's coffee table stamped and all.
Sometimes people either just forget or they believe they have paid the bill, or something happens and they are unable to mail the payment in to the company, and it is not as if they do not want to pay the bill.
There is usually a lot of stress in a household where someone is very sick or has a debilitating or longterm illness and where the family or sometimes an elderly spouse is left to deal with these issues without any help or outside support to check on them to make sure they are ok or even to help make sure they are keeping up with everything including paying bills or even taking their medications or keeping medical appointments.
In some other first world countries these sort of helpers are available to keep folks in their own homes. If that was done here of course that would be looked upon as socialism.
On the other hand...what's new? Think this sort of thing haven't happened before in the past? The difference now is that it is easier to report these sort of things by posting it on the internet, whereas in the past it may not even have been mentioned on the local news much less the national news.
I have life sustaining equipment at my home and the Electric Guy stops by to check on me all the time. I think it should become policy for Utility workers to at least once a month stop in and check on their customers who might need help. Then if something lapses or a bill doesn't get paid they can rectify the situation.
So if you were the power company then you'd NEVER rely on a customer to alert you about anything that may expire from time to time... right? Good policy... it would have prevented this death.
Wait till everyone has the new smart meters. They don't even need to come to your house. They can turn off your electricity remotely using a computer. Hackers will have a field day.
They can't shut a simple residential meter off remotely yet. The meters they buy are about 20 bucks to buy. They have simple electronic circuits with a radio transmitter which sends a signal to a receiver in a passing van or pickup truck and your usage data is captured and down loaded later for your bill. It is true that the utilities are depending too much on technology. It's proven to be their Achilles Heel already, with all the computer control. Hackers have had a field day in some parts of the world already shutting down power facilities.
Jerry...............whatever you're on................send me a pint..........will ya?
Yet sounds like the key word there.
The key here is that National Grid had a "Power For Life Form" in its file. If the utility knew this form was about to lapse then they should have went to the home and contacted the lady and reminded her to renew. Or better that that tey should have called the doctors office and had them renew for their patient.
I think the husband should sue National Grid for wrongful death.
Because people who depend on those things shouldn't have to be responsible for their own actions?
Stupid to require someone that requires oxygen to breath to renew the letter every 60 days. Do they really believe that patients in that extreme of condition would spontaneously recover? I can see them require an annual letter to confirm the patient has not died or moved to another location but certainly not so frequently.
Most assuredly if their records showed this need at anytime in the past they should have had to get a certified response to any notification they sent out. They should not be able to get away with just saying "we sent out a notice." At the moment I would say they are criminally negligent for this womans death.
If they followed procedures that have been reviewed and approved by whoever does that for public utilities in New Hampshire it's a little hard to argue negligence.
National Grid isn't any more criminally negligent for shutting off the power than the husband is criminally negligent for not paying the bill
Betty - Public utilities don't make up their own rules. Every state I know of has the this group, usually called the Public Utility Commission, who make up the rules and see that the utilities abide by them.
Ah yes, they didn't pay their debts, so for some reason they should be awarded money from the people they owe. Talk about backwards.
They are under no obligation to provide free goods or services.
What, stealing electricity? I agree.
Betty - When it comes around I'll take care of it. I won't be expecting anyone to deal with it for me. If it kills me - that's part of the circle of life.
I don't think this article really provides enough information to really cast judgement. I do feel bad for the meter guy that has to live with it now. I'd bet didn't have a clue about what went on inside the house. To him just another delinquent shut off.
maybe this couple didn't have the money to pay the bill because there government let them down? you do know all illegals get free utility's and rent how fair is that! we are in the worst economical disaster since the great depression thanks to our government,wall street,banks. we all need to band together and watch out for our neighbors. brian i hope you never need help and god has Merci on your soul.
What would Jesus do? Probably would have torn the woman's oxygen canister right off of her back. Jesus was like that. he hated socialists.
Her tax dollars subsidize energy companies. Therefore, technically, she had already paid for their services and they should all be deported for murdering an American.
some health equipment is for short term needs, therefor the need to renew notices makes sense. if you wanted to make sure you could smoke, wouldn't you keep extra matches/lighter and make sure you had cigarettes before you run out? it is the needy persons responsibility to renew, why should anyone getting ripped off by nonpayment of services have to accumulate more costs chasing their money down and/or asking the "customer" if its ok to end services?? the old folder files notice should have maybe morally flagged an employee, but then again that employee probably doesn't get paid enough to go above and beyond job duties, due to so many nonpaying "customers".
cyborgs are cool, but if i need to be hooked up to a machine for the rest of my "life" to stay alive, i would rather use some other "machine" to die.
its all her fault, period.
I think that if my life depended on my power running whether I paid the bill or not I'd make damned sure the utility knew about it.
FASTEST--------------- One more time, if you know you have to have electricity to live and you can't get a form to the company every 90 days, you are too dam#ed dumb to live. get your genes out of the pool.
...........he certainly is repetitive! Isn't he!
There are limits to what a person should be held responsible for when it comes to 'notifications' of the sort mentioned here. By the time people are having a doctor fill out the 1st notification to the utility companies their problems are usually quite severe. Just dealing with requests for disabled placards for cars took up enough time that they came out with the orange permanent disabled placards. That someone needs to pester their doctors every 60-90 days for a renewal notice to the utilities is ridiculous. Seems to me that common sense would dictate having a 'permanent' list for the utilities also. In fact, for anything that might prove to concern life and death if a supply is interrupted. I notice that hospitals and other health or care facilities are always noted and cared for, Why not a private citizen too?
For those people who are so concerned that the utility got their few dollars from that woman, and on time every month, you need to be introduced- "Unreasoning Idealist, this is Real World". "Real World, this is Unreasoning Idealist". There is a reason that people have accepted having a 'disabled' label placed on them, you know. Just look at the word itself, DIS-ABLED. Not only do most disabled people have a physical problem of some sort, most are also operating under financial hardships because of their disability. Take my word for it, I've been there before- for more miserable years than I care to remember. To expect disabled people to be operating at 100% physical efficiency and financial ability is, quite simply, ridiculous. There is more to having a disability than the physical problems.. Quite often any disability payments aren't enough to pay for even the basics of life- food, shelter, and clothing. Other bills get juggled or payment delayed or only partially paid. Hundreds of thousands of disabled people are trying to live under those kinds of circumstances- your mothers, fathers, brothers or sisters, husbands or wives, your children or friends. That poor old woman could have been one of them to you, and was to someone else. These circumstances are unforgivable in a nation that can spend billions of dollars a day/week for warfare. It doesn't say much for our Nation or it's people that this state of affairs exists. And God help you if you speak up publicly about the insanity of it- people will deplore you as a liberal and much, much worse. In the words of Haktor, the pulverized and galacticidal former super-computer, "Oh well...Oh well..."
This simply should not have happened and it seems to me criminal negligence that it did. How would anyone like to be the guy who shut off her switch, unknowingly killing her? This has got to be traumatic for him! I'm sure he didn't wake up that morning thinking he would go and cut off some disabled lady's oxygen supply by shutting her power down. I'd hate to be him right now.
There are limits to what a person should be held responsible for when it comes to 'notifications' of the sort mentioned here. By the time people are having a doctor fill out the 1st notification to the utility companies their problems are usually quite severe. Just dealing with requests for disabled placards for cars took up enough time that they came out with the orange permanent disabled placards. That someone needs to pester their doctors every 60-90 days for a renewal notice to the utilities is ridiculous. Seems to me that common sense would dictate having a 'permanent' list for the utilities also. In fact, for anything that might prove to concern life and death if a supply is interrupted. I notice that hospitals and other health or care facilities are always noted and cared for, Why not a private citizen too?
For those people who are so concerned that the utility got their few dollars from that woman, and on time every month, you need to be introduced- "Unreasoning Idealist, this is Real World". "Real World, this is Unreasoning Idealist". There is a reason that people have accepted having a 'disabled' label placed on them, you know. Just look at the word itself, DIS-ABLED. Not only do most disabled people have a physical problem of some sort, most are also operating under financial hardships because of their disability. Take my word for it, I've been there before- for more miserable years than I care to remember. To expect disabled people to be operating at 100% physical efficiency and financial ability is, quite simply, ridiculous. There is more to having a disability than the physical problems.. Quite often any disability payments aren't enough to pay for even the basics of life- food, shelter, and clothing. Other bills get juggled or payment delayed or only partially paid. Hundreds of thousands of disabled people are trying%
3.3 - see 1.10
My mother died in NH under a very similar attitude as displayed by this company and cruel disconnect by her caretakers - I do not know what is happening in my home state, lately, but I do not like it. Seems to be a serious disregard for the elderly lately. From hassling an elderly veteran for displaying an American flag at his home to increasing reports of abuse at NH nursing homes and now this - I sure hope it changes real quick like.
If your on oxygen the more reason to pay your electric bill
What if it was your Mother would she not deserve compassion or is all about the buck to you? I'm really holding back on calling you a JERK!
Sure, he is a jerk. How dare anyone be expected to take care of their own matters?
Get a clue you two nanny state MORONS. Do you have any idea how many houses the power company deals with everyday? And YOU expect them to know what is going on in ONE house? OUT OF THOUSANDS!!!!!
The husband killed her, plain and simple. HE knew she required that oxygen to live...HE didn't pay the bill...HE didn't renew the Power For Life form as required.
As to if it was my mother? I would be renewing that form like clock work. How about YOU?
Thanks USSA-1155981 Those two probably blame everyone else for their shortcomings!
EJ...If it were MY motehr I would make sure the bill was paid.....WHy is it that everyone is overlooking the fact that THEY DIDN'T PAY THEIR FUC*ING BILL......
Sad story, but sorry, if the utility company followed proper protocol, it is not on them...... I say look closely at the husband. I agree with USSA...what a way to commit murder and get away with it......
I wonder if there's an insurance policy on her. Could be the perfect murder.
Really.....she may not have even KNOWN the bill was not paid and cut off notices were coming in. Most of the time I pay NO attention to the bills, since my hubby takes care of them AND picks up the mail. Everyone is pi**ed at the utility company; it appears no one suspects him. Wow and would it ever be hard to prove intent..... could be assisted suicide, too. Doesn't have to use guns or pills.......got an outside source that is the perfect accomplice....
beezer - soazDan
That's cold! Worse yet, could be!
Damn Right. These people were stupid and irresponsible for 1) not paying the bill, 2) not having ANY kind of power backup. No one but a moron would put there life in the hands of 100% reliable power. Suppose a storm had knocked it out? She'd be just as dead. Suppose some drunk hit a pole and knocked it out? Same thing. Sadly, there's just no fixing stupid. You can't ever expect anything to be 100% reliable, whether it's power, power company paperwork, your doctor's office writing notes, or anything else. They should have taken responsibility for having a system that would run for at least a few days without power. It's THEIR fault, not the power company.
The article provides some information for us that live on oxygen machines. Some people can't afford more than one back up canister. It's good to know that you can contact your local fire station or Police dept. that you night have a problem during a storm or power outage. I can't believe the horrible things I'm hearing here! You better pray when you get older your not in the same place as this woman was in.
4.11 - do you live in NH, Rita?
No RI
A patient with an oxygen concentrator is supplied with a back-up cylinder of oxygen that should last several hours. That is expected to be enough time for emergency rescue to reach the patient and transport the patient to the hospital. Also, the patient may have had portable cylinders that are used for trips to the Dr. office or grocery store. The company that delivers the oxygen has to follow safe practice guidelines.
When the power was cut, the patient would need to switch from the concentrator to the cylinder(s), and if the cylinders are empty to call 911. The concentrator will alarm when there's no power.
The patient must have been very fragile to not be able to go without supplemental oxygen for an hour while sleeping.
simple, the way the electric companies work in this country is the most henious way for poor or unemployed people, in mos tcountries around the world the electric company cannot shutoff the service for non-payment, they actually have to keep going the electricity and then try to collect later from the customer, only in America! and of course ont that comment tht says that the electric company has to deal with thousands fo homes adnd it was hard to know about one single house ocurrence, well do not justify the stupid and idiotic way we allowed corporations like this to grow to that size on the life of a victim of our own corporate greed, the reality is that public utilities should be int he hands of small businesses and the grid too!!! not on the hands of a few rich ashls that could nto keep track of a house, it is their fault....
actually I would love to add an analogy (sarcastic):
what about if the doctor has to do a colonoscopy on you and you have a twisted colon? who is going to get sued for not feeling your asss properly? the doctor right? you cannot simply claim that the doctor had too many anuses to inspect that how could he know! it is your faut to have your anus broken
4 - and what if the person is elderly and falls ill, not able to cut a check. What then? Say this person doesn't see anyone for days until a nurse comes in.
Kind of a harsh attitude, by not considering all possible scenarios. Usually when something like this happens, there's a reason - people do not simply skip bill paying for the hell of it. Given a choice - they'll pay their bills on time.
Oh the humanity, What device could we put on this already severely stressed mechanism to stop us from vainly and w/o malice harming another soul? The thing we continually strive to take out of the equation, a person. Don't cut power until you know whats going on inside. Wouldyou in your personal lives reach your hand into a dark hole w/o first weighing the consequences? Where is the humanity. Go away and come back tomorrow. I'm sure your kilowatts are no where near as precious as the soul.
if the power co. knew, they should have contacted the state to have a rep. there at the time. i am looking forward to the electricution of someone at the utility co.
Do you mean electrocution? If so you are a complete ass. The meter reader guy probably shuts off a couple dozen houses a day. He probably doesn't have access to the accounts and therefore wouldn't know if it's a special needs house. He's just a working stiff so for you to say you hope one of them dies is beyond the pale of stupidity and ignorance.
The meter worker is in no way at fault , they were just doing their job. What would it have taken to make a phone call to this family to let them know what was about to happen. If they had sent a warning in the mail they may not have received it. I'm sure the meter worker is feeling guilty but I pray it's not the case.
Yeah, call the state to get a rep out there. God only knows how many people they have standing around with their thumbs up their asses.
KNOMAN is a walking talking commercial for retroactive birth control.
No where did knoman-1529940 make reference to a meter worker/reader.
The utility could use a color coded meter seal like the ones they use in other utilities which indicate what condition the service is in: i.e. green for service ON : Yellow for service is shut off, home or appartment is not occupied: Red for service shut off because of non-pay: White with red cross for service is on, do not shut off, medical priority. This system, along with other redundancies could avoid further problems. The red cross meter seal would immediately let the service rep. know what's going on with the service even if his job order doesn't indicate a special situation at that residence.
good justification on the worker, he is just doing hos job..right? only in america! we always justify corporate greed and the robot-employee with the cliche....public utilities shoudl not turn off service for payment, they shoudl resort to collection or else...and if they can't do that...to hell with them...they shoudl have a fund separated to support poor families at the end of the day look at the kind of money they make! and their grid stinks on top of that! they do not even invest on the grid they invest on their fancy cars and travels for executives...only in america
If you REALLY felt that someone should be paying to support these poor families, then you'd already be doing it. Instead you just cry out about how SOMEONE ELSE needs to do something.
When my son was in hospice at our home, the hospice organization filled out an electric company form and sent it to them. Our electric bill was cut in half until such time that our son passed away and then we had to notify them. Help is out there if you know where to go. The husband should have been taking care of the bills and ESPECIALLY the electric bill; however, I do believe that power should not be turned off until the meter employee speaks to a human being.
I can hide out anytime I see him coming by...
abandoned "greenhouses", pot plant growers rent houses and grow pot in the basement but are never around much, that can rack up a large bill very quickly,$2000 a month, 3 months behind is 6 grand, and the idiot is in jail for selling crack........are you willing to pay more for your services to cover the utility companies loses? im not, follow the rules and regulations or just die.
completely agreed, no power shut off until a human contact is made!
Where was the backup tank of bottled oxygen?
Oxygen providers are required by medicaid/medicare to provide customers not only with oxygen concentrators (the electric powered device this woman was using) but with at least 5 hours worth of bottled oxygen for emergencies such as a drunk driver knocking down the utility pole as well as trips to the store. If she was on her own, and she or her husband had at least 12 working brain cells left, she would have bought her own 5 hour tank for an emergency. If she was really poor (a good guess since she did not pay her electric bill) she could even have saved money by the common method of buying industrial grade oxygen (intended for uses such as welding) instead of the more expensive medical grade stuff. There seems to be a significant problem with the husband, not paying the electric bill and not having a tank of oxygen available for an emergency seems a good way to hasten the demise of a spouse. Was this intentional on his part?
The article also noted that the system had a battery backup that was not activated.
A battery backup is not a tank of bottled oxygen. Such devices can and do fail. A metal tank full of compressed oxygen is as foolproof as one can get (unless not smoking cigarettes in the first place counts-Of the 14 people I know who used oxygen at the end of life, all were smokers). All concentrators have an alarm powered by a 9 volt battery (assuming the battery is still good) that lets you know it is not running for any reason. The opress often gets things wrong, they could have been refering to the alarm--not a UPS (an uninterupted power supply).
In Arizona there we allow CONVICTED CRIMINALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A DEATH SENTENCE - and I mean those who have committed the worst crimes against humanity possible - a minimum of FOURTEEN YEARS to appeal their death sentences. Seems to me that utility companies, if they don't have the compassion to do it on their own, should be required to have some safety net - or "appeal" procedure for people who need their services to sustain life. I am shocked (but not relly surprised) that some of you are so emotionally deficient that you think this woman should have died because National Grid "followed the rules" or because the "husband didn't pay the bill". Karma has a long and unforgiving memory and she knows who you are.
I haven't read one post where the poster said that the woman should have died. Could National Grid have done things differently? Absolutely.
But, while are you completely absolving the husband/couple of all responsibility? Why did they not pay the bill? Why was the battery backup not activated? What do they normally do in cases of lost power(i.e. thunderstorms)?
well did you dirtbags ever think the couple might be going through tough times and could not pay the bill! SHOW SOME COMPASSION TOWARD YOUR FELLOW MAN/WOMEN
Exactly oldmustang....my neighbor is on oxygen. We live in the middle of NOWHERE and are prone to losing power. We lost power last week, in fact, for 4 hours. He purchased a generator, just for those unexpected power loses. It's sad she lost her life, but I would think, due to the fact she's on electric powered oxygen, the electric bill would be the FIRST bill to be paid..... And accidental retiree, karma has been quite good to me, thank you, but then, not only do I believe in karma, I also believe in "personal responsibility", so I take care in how I live.....
I'm with you Retiree and I see that no one has addressed your question. You have to understand the new political correctness. According to this doctrine if you become vulnerable it's because you're " stupid" or lacking character. Heartlessness is now a virtue.
SHOW SOME COMPASSION TOWARD YOUR FELLOW MAN/WOMEN
compassion is for liberals and non Christians. only pansies worry about poor or old people.
OldMustang: You're right, nobody said she "should" have died. My concern was that many of the posters almost seemed to think her death was less important than the "rules". It was in no way my intent to absolve the husband/couple of all responsibility. Frankly, I am more concerned with the loss of a human life than whether or not the bills were paid or the rules were followed. I don't why the electric bill at the home was not paid, neither do I know what this particular husband and wife had planned to do in the event of lost power via a thunderstorm or other outside intervening act, however in this instance, that was not the case, National Grid simply turned the power off which appears to have resulted in the wrongful death of this poor woman. My guess is that a court of proper juristiction, with or without a jury trial, would likely determine National Grid's action to be negligent conduct on their part. In the event a suit is filed aginst them - and I sincerely hope that will be the case - in all probability National Grid will settle without admitting wrongdoing, review and revise their shut-off procedures. All I was trying to convey in my previous post was: 1) there are a lot of apparently seriously emotionally detached people posting on this site; and 2) All utility companies providing services which could cause death or other bodily harm if such services were suddenly terminated, should be required to have a system of check and balances, or "fail-safe" procedures which would, hopefully, eliminate this sort of incident.
Respectfully,
AE
once again people how about a little personal responsibility? all they had to do was make sure the utility knew she needed power! whether they paid the bill or not!
Born breathing entitles you only to free oxygen.
Everthing else, someone has to pay for , all of you leeches doing the whining why weren't you in NH, taking care of this woman, instead of on the vine blaming someone else for not taking care of her.
You leeches rae great about blaming someone else and other than that without worth, merit, or value.
Jerry - you're a sick puppy, aren't you? You're abusive, aren't you? You just show up on various threads to pick fights, insult, and verbally abuse other posters. That's all you ever do on this site. The article could be about bull fighting in Spain and you will show up and call someone a blank-blanety-blank-lib right out of the blue. I think it's time someone made a formal complaint about you to the moderators of this site and got you banned for good.
EVERY 1------------- Feel free sunshine. Your not liking me pointing out you lack of willingness to earn your way in the world does not make me abusive.
I won't even bother to point out your name calling.
I have read a number of your posts, also.
Your post seems to consist of, mostly, of supporting stealing money from some one that has earned it and giving it to some one else.
If you don't like that, you can always change parties go to one that allows you to work, earn money, be productive, should you do that, you would find that I would immediately cease pointing it out and no longer say things that offend your sensibilities.
jerry:
"earn your way in the world", wait until you are eighty or lose your income and we will see how you earn your way in the world (like if you control it) you must be 20 or less to think that you control somethign about your life.
about the part of stealing money from someone, well let me explain this to you:
have you ever been stopped bya police officer, called 911, call the paramedics, or the firemen, used any public service at all? including your children at school and their lunches?
WELL I HAVE A QUESTION FROM YOU IDIOT!!! WHY ARE YOU STEALING FROM ME?????
I SHOULD NOT PAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN'S LUNCH OR ANY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES THAT YOU RECEIVE!!! AND THAT MORE THAN OBVIUSLY YOUR LOUSY PART OF TAXES THAT YOU PAY DO NOT COVER THEM.....
Accidental,
I agree with everything in your post. I agree that National Grid need to review and update(or completely change) their current procedures regarding this type of situation.
That being said, at what point would National Grid have been justified in cutting the power? We don't know what the situation is with this couple. But, what if they just decided that they were no longer going to pay their electric bill? What if the husband wrongly reasoned that they will never shut off my power, knowing about my wife's condition. Should the company absorb their costs indefinitely?
Again, I know this is all hypothetical, but for how much longer?
Unfortunately, if the company followed all procedures laid out by the utilities commission, I don't see how they can be held liable for her death.
From what I'm reading from most of the posts regulations should supersede people's health.
No additional family or friends to assist financially?
How many people posting would have assisted if the knew that this couple was in jeopardy of having their power turned off? Not just financially but making sure the paper work was complete, accurate and in the hands of the proper individual.
If their power was to be turned off there must have been additional signs around their home that they may have been in need of assistance.
assist? for what/ poor people are poor because they are lazy or did something to cause God to punish them.
You are a retard some day you will pay for being so stupid............
tonydavis are you for real? or just another joke in the planet? poor people are poor because they are lazy??? good conclusion so you are an heartless imbecile because you are just an imbecile? hahahaha and of course I will not thread on the God rationale...that is the lousiest fallacy of all...anyway I would have assisted immediately and of course gone tothe electric company and teach them a lesson or two about humanity...
the more I know the human beings the more I love my dog...
As Brian said the article said that the backup battery was not activaed...Who's fault is that?? The Power Company??
How about finding out if they were instructed by the company who distributes the tanks to see if they gave good instructions?? Maybe the maker of the system?? maybe there was a defect?? Of course not...Blame the Power Company.....
one event that happens as a direct result of an action cannot be justified by another event that happened independently of the first...
The durable medical equipment (oxygen concentrator) should have provided signage for the patient, or in this case victim, that informs anyone who comes to the door that oxygen is being used inside the house. That signage informs people what to do or not to do regarding the indoors atmosphere, like no open flames, no smoking, etc, etc,.
The utility should have provided a service person with basic reading skills. If the accused utility ignored the signage or if it wasn't in place is not clear. Where I live here in the mountain west, we have quite a few folks on supplied O2, and in defense of the victim's husband, this equipment is not cheap, and he's probably working two jobs to pay for health care, while the utility company sends out the meanest person they got to make 'em pay or shut 'em off. I'm retired fed and have double coverage, and the insurance people squeal big time when they get the bill for the concentrator. Mine is work related.
YOU seem to feel that the utility company should provide power no matter what to any one that needs it.
Please explaing why any profit making company would do that.
Jerry I would agree with you if there were no alternatives. When a company becomes the sole source of a service, the rules must change. Slipknot did not imply that power be provided no matter what the circumstances.
This story is the ultimate in bureaucratic insanity. You make rules for the elderly and the infirm that have directions so save their butts by following protocol. The elderly and chronically ill have a great deal of difficulty in understanding the bureaucratise they receive from agencies all the time. This is where advocates come into play to make sure things like this never happen. This utility company should have their pants sued off after the CEO gets a public butt whipping.
GEEZ, another dweeb.
aaaaaaaaaaahhh yes another jerry retard.........your time is comeing to dude
SILVER--------- Really? What is going to happen, Mr, keyboard Rambo?
They have to renew every 90 days? When someone is on oxygen, do you really think their lungs just suddenly get better? What a load of crap! It's bureaucratic double speak for,"We'll screw 'em later!" Find the guy who instituted the policy, and indict him for conspiracy to commit murder!
WJB, get a grip. I think it's really sad what happened but those rules are made by the state commissions, not the utility company. Do you think utilities should be provided free of charge? Did you know National Grid is based in London? They provide a service and they have to be compensated for it. This article doesn't give enough information to persecute the company already.
AND the dweebs, just, keep on coming.
No, William. We figure they die before too long.
When my mother was on Oxygen we made sure that there was electricity & back up power to cover it. Again, have a back up system. Portable battery operated Oxygen tanks. Why is a 53 year old woman on Oxygen? If it’s due to her smoking, well no empathy here. The electric company sends you late notices & then cut-off notices. If you are not consistently behind they normally will work with you when you call. They just want you to pay them something…anything.
BeReal.......: Not everyone who is sustained by oxygen has been a smoker. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) isn't ALWAYS caused by smoking. Neither are asthma, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer (REALLY) or a host of other life-threatening diseases. The issue here is NOT WHY SHE WAS USING OXYGEN IN THE FIRST PLACE OR WHETHER OR NOT THE BILL HAD BEEN PAID - it's whether or not the utility company should have discontinued the service to the home when it had records showing that someone who was dependent upon their service lived there. Human life is more important than "the rules".
Shame on you!
Hey Accidental retiree: No offense, but you do realize we're ALL going to die eventually, don't you?
Bman42: Yes I do know that - I'd just rather die some other way than at the hand of the electric company. I'd rather my doctor pulls the plug using my medical power of attorney than have it pulled by the "meter guy".
As Pre Ghost Scrooge and Rush would say, " ya don't pay the bill we cut the power, no other noise needed ya freeloader!"
And as post Scrooge would say..."Oh I'm so sorry you're not paying your bill....I know...Let's everyone else pay it for you...
That mantra rings familiar.....
People, pay your bills, you never know when you may have an emergency that also becomes life threating, be prepared for the worst.
What is wrong with you people?
First of all, Nobody's power should ever be cut off for failure to pay. Call me a Communist or a Socialist, but electrical power and utilities should be considered necessary for survival, and as such, should be provided by the state! How about that idea? Can anyone think of a justifiable reason for cutting off one's power? Not paying one's exorbitant utility bill does not cut it with me as a reason.
How many deaths will we read about where somebody makes a "mistake" and another person's power was cut off, leaving them to die? Last year it was an elderly war hero from WW1. He froze to death when his power was shut off in the middle of winter. It is NOT the responsibility of neighbors to "look in" on an elderly person to see they are alright. Neither should it be the responsibility of an elderly person to continually remember to send a letter of need to their power supplier every 60 to 90 days.
It is the responsibility of the person who is going to shut off power to a home where someone lives to make sure contact is made with the person who lives there before the shut-off is performed. If nobody answers the door, the power cannot be turned off. Don't assume the "irresponsible" person is hiding from the bill collector; Most often if a person is home and refuses to answer the doorbell it is because the action of doing so is too uncomfortable.
One must have a phone to be able to call for help in an emergency. These days one must also have electricity to be able to use the telephone to make such a call. I'm all for "personal responsibility" but many old sick people don't want to be cared for in a facility. They have a right to live the way they feel most comfortable. The only sure way to prevent shut-off deaths to such people is to ban the practice of shutting off power to any occupied dwelling.
We need a law to make it illegal to shut off utilities to any home that is occupied. This law will immediately save lives that would have otherwise been lost due to someone's error or oversight.
Ah yes, because who doesn't need more big government over their own wishes?
I can: when somebody doesn't pay for it. Now, can anybody come up with a justifiable reason for why it is supposedly okay to steal?
No, it is their responsibility to attempt to make contact. It is the responsibility of the customer to A) pay for what they use, B) fill out any required forms when they are needed, and C) respond to attempted contacts instead of ignoring them.
They have an obligation to pay for goods.
Electric compnaies DO charge too much for services. You are held hostage because you can't switch like you can with cable companies. People are having difficulty keeping food on the table let alone, pay an electric bill.
And if anybody believes that the meter person, knocked on the door, I have a bridge to sell you in LA. They come and disconnect you and never see them. They don't want to take a chance that you might go crazy on them, so they are like ninjas.
OK, you're a communist and a socialist. And I'm far more likely to believe the meter guy knocked on the door, and the woman had a pretty good idea it was a bill collector and didn't answer it.
OKAY------------- You're a communist.
Dippo, they are in business to make money, they don't make money, they go out of business, no one has electricty.
The dweebs are alive and well, tonight.
were your parents married when you were born Jerry?
SILVER------------- Nope, I'm a bastard, Silver, 67 years old, vietnam vet, left 10 inches of my right leg and foot there, my little silver colored friend.
Live alone, take care of myself, don't expect anyone else to do it.
You don't like that mr parasite, ESAD
No, if they charged too much, they wouldn't have millions of customers.
Good idea, then I can stop paying my electric bill and get a free ride while people like jessix pay for themselves and me.
I say cut off the power and oxygen of all those who spell "you're" as "your" and say "should of" instead of "should have"
O i,m sooo sorry your honorness.
I say, sell hunting licenses on Grammar Nazis.
Rich I was referring more to your blanket statement I don't know if the husband physicaly and mentally able to take care of themselves but when you get to the age or position that you may need help and you may not have relatives left and you may have served your country and the power co has your soc# telephone# address and thoughtful police who would more than happy to check on you and you come up with such a sarcastic statement like that. you might say something like that you would rather die than get old wait till you get there then see what you think. William360414 makes a great point also. rich you don't understand society will roll right over the elderly when there our mentors our history and our family. USSA your the MORON they have all the info they need to track every kw and gallon of gas used soc# tel# average usage what do you mean are you kiddin? they have computer programs that track each and every customer DA! this happens too often a 80 something guy froze to death in Michigan because they cut him off in winter did he deserve that he was a vet!
EJHANDSOME, Full of yourself with a name like that? The point I was making is that we as a society want to put the blame on everyone or thing else. We are taking the personal responsability factor out of the equasion. Teaching future generations (it isn't their fault)
This is just depresing.
Yep, we didn't know! Seen many times the electric company estimate your bill. Recall getting a $320 bill, talked to the clerk and her response ,' Boy you really decorated your house for christmas this year". Blew her mind when she found out we were not home for wks and had no tree, so she had the wrong house. After some checking, Oh, we got your bill wrong, it is $23.
stranger things have happened than a husband planning such an outcome, obtaining the desired result, and then going after the utility for big bucks
Tonydavis 3.12 That's what they teach in christian school now? Do they still pledge allegiance to their own flag? You know. The one with the black field and the red cross. The one that looks like Englands except for the colors? The one you pledge to before the American flag.
ANYone who reads this and understands it, please translate.
Jerry, If you read 3.12, you'll get some idea of what's going on here-----maybe?
Just curious as I lived in NH for decades......she lived in Concord, the Salem police were called, and she's in a hospital in Methuen...... Is there something to that story???