Mike Freeman

I knew this was going to be an interesting trip just several minutes after I landed in New Orleans.

While waiting for my baggage, about eight to 10 feet away from me, a woman began screaming for help. She was crouched over a man who looked to be unconscious. She was yelling that he had suffered some sort of seizure. Two of us ran to look for help; we found several police officers nearby who assisted  the man while waiting for medical help.

Here's the thing: About 20 minutes later there were still no paramedics.

It made me wonder. Would that type of slower response be the norm in other cities and airports or was the slower response because the city's emergency services here are still strained years after Hurricane Katrina?

Since the police were there, I got my luggage and left. While medical help was slow getting there, the police were brave and outstanding and were still helping the man. He was conscious when I departed.

Welcome to New Orleans.