The Estate of Linda Forbes v. Hurricane Harbor, LP

On September 05, 2011, while in the Lazy River attraction at Hurricane Harbor Six Flags in Arlington, Texas, 64-year-old Linda Forbes was observed by lifeguard Samantha Shiff floating face-down and motionless. Lifeguard Shiff then signaled she was entering the water and upon reaching Linda, turned the victim over onto her back. Lifeguard Shiff assessed Linda to be in respiratory arrest at which time she signaled for additional assistance from other lifeguards.

Author: Gerald M. Dworkin
Date: July 16, 2015

On September 05, 2011, while in the Lazy River attraction at Hurricane Harbor Six Flags in Arlington, Texas, 64-year-old Linda Forbes was observed by lifeguard Samantha Shiff floating face-down and motionless. Lifeguard Shiff then signaled she was entering the water and upon reaching Linda, turned the victim over onto her back. Lifeguard Shiff assessed Linda to be in respiratory arrest at which time she signaled for additional assistance from other lifeguards.

While waiting for assistance, Lifeguard Shiff attempted to perform in-water positive pressure ventilation, but was unable to do so because her personal resuscitation mask was deflated.

Lifeguard Jasmine Alverez responded and entered the water from downstream of where Linda and lifeguard Shiff were located in the river. Lifeguard Alverez assisted Lifeguard Shiff in getting Linda up onto the rescue tube while additional whistle signals were used, along with radio communications, to broadcast this emergency situation to supervisors, other lifeguards, dispatch, and Hurricane Harbor EMS personnel.

Lifeguards Alverez and Shiff continued to float Linda downstream, for approximately 400’, until they reached an area where Linda could be removed from the water. The lifeguards, with the help of another guest, then removed Linda from the water, assessed her to be in cardiac arrest, and initiated the administration of CPR, while other lifeguard personnel, park supervisory personnel, and Hurricane Harbor EMS personnel were alerted to and then responded to the emergency to assist in the resuscitation and patient care efforts.

While chest compressions were being administered, several different lifeguards were at the patient’s head although it is not clear whether or not effective ventilations were delivered. An oxygen tank was provided and oxygen was administered during the chest compressions. An AED was brought to the scene and electrodes were attached, but the AED did not detect a shockable rhythm. Chest compressions were continued and oxygen was administered via the use of a Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM) resuscitator.

Upon arrival of Hurricane Harbor EMS personnel, Linda was transferred onto a backboard and loaded onto a gurney while waiting for an employee with keys to respond in order to open the gate. Linda was then wheeled out through the gate and into the parking lot. It is unclear whether or not chest compressions were provided during this move, but there is evidence to suggest that oxygen administration and positive pressure ventilation were withheld during the move.

Upon reaching the parking lot to await the arrival of the fire department and AMR ambulance, it was only then that advanced airway procedures were attempted by EMT-I Reichert. This attempt occurred more than 10 minutes after the Code 3 was broadcast. However, his attempts at inserting the advanced airway were unsuccessful at that time.

The recognition of Linda’s distress occurred approximately 3 minutes prior to the Code 3 broadcast at approximately 12:45 hrs. Once Linda’s distress was recognized by the lifeguards, the facility’s Emergency Action Plan was initiated. However, it was approximately 8 minutes after recognition of Ms. Forbes unconscious state, and five minutes after the Code 3 had been broadcast by dispatch across the park, that Hurricane Harbor supervisors and security personnel confirmed this was a critical incident and called 911 at 12:50 hrs.

Fire department units, including Engine 11 and Medic 11, were dispatched at 12:50:56 hrs. and arrived on scene at 12:56:48 hrs. Their Out of Hospital Care Report indicates that “the patient was already packaged and on a backboard and CPR was in progress.” Arlington Firefighters initiated advanced cardiac life support protocols prior to the arrival of AMR ambulance and EMS personnel.

AMR arrived on scene at 12:57 hrs. at which time the patient had a King Airway inserted and advanced cardiac life support protocols were continued by AMR and Fire Department personnel briefly at the scene before loading Linda into the ambulance for additional care and transport to Arlington Memorial Hospital. Linda was pronounced deceased approximately 4 hours later at 16:25 hrs.

According to the AMR Patient Care Report, they received the call at 12:49:48 hrs., although their dispatch and en-route times are incorrect. Their arrival time was documented at 12:55:10 hrs. The estimated time of cardiac arrest was 12:40 hrs. with the estimated time of first CPR at 12:44 hrs.

The assessment performed by AMR showed a distended and hard abdomen and they noted “possibly from water ingestion due to drowning.”

The Autopsy Report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Tarrant County indicated the cause of death was “freshwater drowning” and that “both lungs appear severely congested and edematous.”