The city's Emergency Medical Services, criticized for its response to a snowbound Hazelwood man who later died in his home, is investigating another incident where a woman said paramedics could not reach her sick daughter during this month's crippling snowstorm.

Denene Hefflin, of the North Side, said she decided to notify EMS of the problem after seeing news reports about a Hazelwood man who died in his home while waiting for an ambulance.

Ms. Hefflin said she called 911 about 4:15 a.m. on Feb. 8, when her 1-year-old daughter Jade, who is chronically ill, had a high fever and trouble breathing. Ms. Hefflin lives on narrow Marshall Road, between Marshall and Perrysville avenues.

"I called and told them I have an infant with a heart history, who is having respiratory challenges and I couldn't get my car out," she said.

When Jade and her twin brother, Jaden, get sick, she said, "I never take chances."

A short time later, she said, paramedics called her and told her they could not get down her hill, and could she walk up it?

"I told them I couldn't walk up because I have two infants and a diaper bag," Ms. Hefflin said, and paramedics left. "They didn't even come down to check on her."

She said she spent the next two hours digging out her Chevrolet Impala, then drove Jade to Children's Hospital.

Jade is now back home. Doctors determined she was dehydrated and suffering from asthma.

EMS Chief Robert McCaughan said officials are investigating whether there were any similarities between Ms. Hefflin's experience and that of Curtis Mitchell, 50, who died Feb. 7 after calling 911 10 times over 30 hours.

Impassable roads, poor communication and a high volume of calls to the 911 center combined to cause his long wait, officials have said.

"We're looking at them as individual events and also part of the larger picture of what happened during the snowstorm," he said.

Officials are reviewing calls Ms. Hefflin made, those made back to her and how they were evaluated at the communications center.

Firefighters have been responding to certain lower-priority calls since Mr. Mitchell's death, part of a larger plan to improve emergency response.

Chief McCaughan said the death of Mr. Mitchell "really sent a shock wave through our service. Our people are absolutely devastated by this. That said, we're absolutely just as dedicated to determining what happened here and are taking whatever actions are necessary to make sure it doesn't happen again."

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