Lucky to Be Alive

Oct 1, 2022

Trisha Warren and her family are lucky to be alive. Had they not had Electronic Caregiver’s telehealth and security system, they may not be here today. This is the story of how an Electronic Caregiver medical alert system saved an entire family.

Hurricane Ida

Trisha lives in Jayess, Mississippi with her husband and elderly mother, and father. Jayess is a small town affected by Hurricane Ida. Ida was a deadly and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that struck the region in late August.

On what seemed like a typical night in late August of 2021, Trisha’s family went to bed a little before 10 p.m. At the time, the family’s home was being powered by a portable generator. Trisha lives in Jayess, Mississippi with her husband and elderly mother, and father. Jayess is a small town that was affected by Hurricane Ida, causing power outages in their area.  Ida ended up a deadly and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that struck the region.

Hurricane Ida’s intense winds and thunderstorms left many people in the area without power. This included Trisha’s family. As a temporary remedy, they turned to their portable generator to produce electricity in their home. Using a generator during a power outage is common. Although, it can be dangerous because it emits exhaust containing carbon monoxide. Above all, the colorless, odorless gas can kill people in minutes if it seeps into the home. Most of the time, people poisoned by carbon monoxide don’t realize it until it’s too late.

WAKE UP!

Aware of these risks, the family followed safety guidelines by setting up the generator far away from their home. They ran the power cord through a crack in their utility room window with the door kept shut and sealed. However, little did they know at that time their precautions would not be enough. Fortunately, Trisha had taken other safety measures with Electronic Caregiver.

It wasn’t long after the family went to bed before the 4200 system woke them. It alerted the household that carbon monoxide had been detected and instructed them to evacuate. The system automatically contacted emergency services and the family was able to get out of the house alive and well. Soon after, first responders arrived on the scene. “The fire department said we were very lucky,” Trisha said. “The EMT also said, ‘If you didn’t have that system, I’m sorry to say your family would not have survived.’”

Lucky to be alive or smart?

Family photos

Over a year ago, Trisha had decided to protect her aging parents with Electronic Caregiver’s 4200 system. The system can detect falls, fires, carbon monoxide, and offers telehealth and emergency services at the touch of a button. “I was concerned about my mother falling,” she said. “And my father, having Alzheimer’s and bedridden, wouldn’t know what to do. So, I had it installed for that purpose, and I’ve been confident and at ease knowing the system was there. I went ahead and got the entire package, including the fire alarm and the carbon monoxide detector. Never did I dream carbon monoxide would be an issue. But I’m very thankful that we did have this, and it worked tremendously well.”

The proof in the crises

When the unexpected did occur, Trisha explained that Electronic Caregiver’s 4200 system did more than expected. Not only did it wake her up with a loud alarm, but it also instructed her on what was happening and what to do. “I got up and was trying to figure out what was going on,” she said. “Thankfully, the speaker system that comes with it started saying to me very loudly to evacuate the home, evacuate now to fresh air. There’s carbon monoxide detected.”

The Evacuation

As Trisha’s family got out of the home, she received a phone call from the Electronic Caregiver Rapid Response team. The dispatcher had called to make sure everyone had evacuated. He also assured them the fire department was on the way. In addition, he performed a wellness check. He asked Trisha if she or any of her family members had symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. For example, some common symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, dry mouth, and loss of consciousness. “We were unaware of these symptoms, but yes, I was very nauseous,” Trisha said. “My mother had a headache; I had a very dry mouth. At that time, he dispatched for EMT as well.”

Not long after the call, first responders arrived. The fire department concluded there was a lethal amount of carbon monoxide in the home. They confirmed the generator had caused it. The toxic gas had come through a vent intended to help cool the attic. The carbon monoxide had filled the attic and eventually entered the home. The family was completely unaware but now they were happy to be alive, safe, and not requiring hospitalization.

The Electronic Caregiver 4200

The next day, the family learned that the 4200 system had detected carbon monoxide just a few minutes after they’d gone to bed. “We have 12 grandchildren – my husband and me – and my mother has 20-some great-grandchildren,” Trisha said. “My son kept telling me, ‘It’s just unbelievable to think that I could have lost my whole family – my grandparents and my parents – at that moment.’”

Trisha said even the first responders on the scene were intrigued by the system that saved their lives. “The EMT was so impressed with Electronic Caregiver’s system that she got the information from me to order the system for her parents,” she said. They truly felt so much more than just lucky to be alive, they felt completely protected and taken care of.

Trisha Calls her ECG rep Ed Grace happy to be alive

Trisha wanted to share her overwhelming joy that thanks to Electronic Caregiver, she had survived the incident. So, she reached out to the person who had initially helped her family get the 4200 system set up. Ed Grace, a Regional Director for Electronic Caregiver, was pleased and emotional when he heard about the family’s experience. “This phone call is what makes a difference,” Ed said. “This is why it’s so important that we do what we’ve got to do.

Ed Grace started working for Electronic Caregiver in 2011. He worked on the fall research lab that helped Electronic Caregiver create the products that save lives today. Ed reaches out daily in Mississippi to families and communities to educate them on why and how they can be protected. “We help save lives,” Ed said.

Lucky to be alive

In short, Trisha hopes her story will encourage others to take extra safety precautions in their own homes. Most importantly, people who are caring for aging parents or loved ones. “You can never have too many safety measures in your home for any situation,” she said. “Especially, when it comes to fall protection for the elderly.” It’s an amazing thing to feel so lucky to be alive. What an experience! We’re glad we were there for Trisha and her family and this story ended the best way possible.

For information about all Electronic Caregiver products, visit electroniccaregiver.com. Additionally, you can call and speak directly with a customer service representative at 833-ECG-LIFE.