Oregon Public Broadcasting

Security video of an accident in the Portland Adventist Medical Center last week, shows an Emergency Medical Technician from the hospital was treating the victim within three-and-a-half minutes of being told there'd been an accident.

Oregonians were disturbed last week to hear that a police officer arriving at the Portland Adventist Medical Center to report a crash in the parking lot, had been told to call 911.

Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB

Hospital CEO, Tom Russell, says that because it was a car accident, the charge nurse thought anything from a neck-brace to the jaws of life might be needed -- to cut someone out of the vehicle.

But he says if there's a similar situation, staff  have now been told to add that the hospital is also sending someone.

Tom Russell: "Next time the response needs to be 'we'll be right with you' call the ambulance or preferably, we'll be right with you, and then we'll call the ambulance or AMR or however we do that."

Doctor Kelli Westcott, of the Emergency Department, said staff regularly go out to the car park to help people.

She said she has delivered babies out there.

Portland Police Chief, Mike Reese, said he's reviewed the surveillance video and he says it's clear the hospital was preparing a response to aid the victim.