Tragic security snafu: Man dies at JFK after doors delay responders

“You had all the assets needed to keep this guy alive, but they never really had the chance to help him,” a law-enforcement source said.

A man died after suffering a heart attack at Kennedy Airport after two teams of first responders failed to reach him — because their electronic ID cards couldn’t open secure doors at the newly renovated Delta terminal, The Post has learned.

www.nypost.com...


A Port Authority police emergency operator got the call at about 6:30 a.m. and was told the man was “unresponsive” but breathing.

One minute later, a PAPD ambulance known as Medical One was dispatched — but the crew reported being unable to enter the terminal from the street two minutes afterward because an officer’s security card wasn’t working.

"Access denied" at elevator, a radio transmission noted.

They were able to go in a different way but they are only EMTs, however, and the plan was for an FDNY crew of better-equipped and better-trained paramedics to arrive and take over.
But that second rescue squad also ran into frustrating issues with security doors and were denied entry when the security system refused to recognize an ID access card used by a PA cop escorting them. The delay robbed the dying man of more precious seconds.
The man was finally brought down to the waiting FDNY ambulance and was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Seconds count in a situation like that and unfortunately, it cost this man his life.
Not sure who will be held responsible....the company that installed the security system for the doors or the airport itself. Or both.

Somebody should have hit the fire alarm.

Most security systems deactivate in the event of a fire, to enable people to exit.

I know it would have caused hassle, but it might have saved the guys life.

reply to post by Briles1207


Airport doors usually don't, because they just lead to offices, and other non-exit type areas. I had a badge for years, and the doors at first were confusing as hell (and this was at a medium/large airport, not somewhere like JFK), as to what door went to what area. You're more likely to get lost and trapped going through those security doors than you are to just exit the area through the normal exits.

I'm assuming that, as this is an airport, and has a gazillion access controlled / monitored doors and CCTV cameras, there will be an on-site security control centre, with staff on duty 24x7 monitoring the systems and responding to any alarm events.
As such, I'd then assume that the security staff in that control centre will have been aware of a medical emergency in progress. Knowing that, why didn't they manually unlock the doors and allow the first responders through?

I design access control and CCTV systems and have also run an international security operations centre, where this sort of event did occur, and where we simply unlocked the relevent doors to the responders, via the access control software to allow emergency access. It's no different to buzzing someone up to your apartment from a street level intercom.

This sad story just sounds like a screw up from the get-go!

reply to post by Zaphod58


So if there was a fire, you have to use your key cards to exit?

As a fire marshall, I find that worrying!

reply to post by Briles1207


Most airports have large exits, and have more than one way out of the concourse. They have people on the concourse that would open specific doors that lead outside, that would guide people out onto the ramp (jetways mostly). There is a fairly detailed fire evacuation plan that would allow people to get out, instead of just wander around and risk getting lost and trapped, that was developed with the fire department's input.

reply to post by Zaphod58


There ya go, you learn something new every day! :-)

In the UK most airport security is deactivated (albeit in sectors) when the fire alarm activates, meaning less restrictions for people who are back office etc.

Back on point, it seems ironic that the security put in place to potentially save lives, may have contributed the loss of one.

reply to post by Briles1207


When we first got our badges, we went through so many doors that led to "Where the hell are we, and how do we get out?" I can only imagine what it would be like if there was a fire going on, and you weren't familiar with the area.

They should've been able to radio to some control room to get a security override by giving some alpha numerical code that only security supervisors have, then the person in the control room could DEactivate whatever door they needed. At least that's how I would have it. That's how it is in jails. I think any facility with an extensive system of locked doors should have a control room manned by 1-2 people watching monitors and speaking over the radio and flippin switches and whatnot. Drinking coffee and having small talk. Pointing out beautiful women on the half-wall of screens. And unlocking doors when old men have heart attacks! No problem, right???

reply to post by 3n19m470


If they weren't airport EMTs/firefighters, they may not have a radio frequency to talk to anyone on. The LEOs have their own radios, and not everyone knows the right channel to talk to everyone else on. Most communication is done through telephone.