Raytown firefighters pulled Norene Irvine from her smoke- and flame-filled home April 21. She died the next day.
The 41 Action News Investigators have also learned Raytown EMS declined multiple offers of help from the Kansas City Fire Department before Irvine was rushed to the hospital.
When Raytown firefighters pulled Irvine from her burning home, her heart had already stopped.
The 41 Action News Investigators obtained dispatch audio of the Kansas City Fire Department's call to Raytown EMS.
KCFD: "Are you guys sending an ambulance out to that house fire in your city?"
Raytown EMS: "Uh ... we don't know anything about a house fire."
KCFD: "All right. We just got a call for 70th and Hedges. I don't have an exact address. The house is on fire, there might be someone in there - I'm listening to the call taker. Um, so, if you could definitely, it's by someone who's a worker, so you'll probably need your police and an ambulance."
Raytown EMS: "OK, do you know what color house it is?
KCFD: "Oh my goodness. Uh ... no ma'am. I mean, it's on fire."
A Raytown ambulance crew did rush to the scene and after some effort, medics were able to open up an airway for Irvine to breathe and revived her.
Two ambulance crews from the Kansas City Fire Department also arrived at the scene.
"Yes, our crew offered to help and I think they were waiting for their second unit," said Kansas City Fire Department Chief Paul Berardi.
Berardi says his crews offered to help Raytown medics get an airway for Irvine and to also take her to the hospital. But he says the Raytown crew declined.
Instead, that crew decided to wait for a second Raytown ambulance to take Irvine to the hospital.
Raytown only has two ambulance units.
Former Raytown EMS Director Matt Cushman, who saw the Raytown and two KCFD ambulances at the scene as an interested bystander, says he can't speculate as to why one of the KCFD units were not used to take Irvine to the hospital.
"Logic would tell you that those vehicles or those resources should've could've been used ... I don't want to say should've, but could've been used," said Cushman.
Cushman also points out by sending both Raytown units to the scene, even with two KCFD units on standby, anyone else needing an ambulance in Raytown would have to wait for a neighboring agency to respond.
"I would be surprised if a paramedic made any decision other than what's best for patient care," said Berardi.
Berardi also points out a patient like Irvine needs to be stabilized at the scene before being taken to the hospital.
Raytown EMS Director Doug Jonesi declined on-camera comment for the 41 Action News Investigators. However, he called the decision to wait for the second Raytown ambulance "a non-issue."
Jonesi says that second Raytown ambulance arrived at about 7:12, within a minute or so of the third ambulance. He says the patient was given high quality care.
Jonesi also points out it was roughly eight minutes from when Irvine was pulled out of her home until she was on the way to the hospital, not an excessive amount of time.
Berardi agrees.
"It seems that everything was done properly here and they transported within eight minutes," he said.
But Cushman says based on his time as Raytown EMS director, another option besides waiting for a fourth ambulance was available.
"It would not have been outside the realm of possibility for us to take that patient and go," Cushman said.
There were early reports of neighbors trying to enter the burning home to rescue Irvine, but they didn't go inside. For that reason, additional crews were on standby in case anyone else needed help, including firefighters.
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Andy Alcock can be reached at anderson.alcock@kshb.com.
