[Coolbreeze]

You are pretty ignorant for the post that bashes people who helped you...you should feel pretty low right now.
I have lived on a island for almost 40 years, I have experienced fires, medical emergencies, boat accidents even people falling through the ice in the winter during that time. Common sense has taught most island dwellers that any help from the mainland is a long time away. As islanders and neighbors, we have fought the brush fires, tended to the medical emergencies ourselves until the troops arrived. In several occasions we have met the ambulance at the town docks. If you live on an island and have a major emergency- plan on waiting for help. Question, was it the ambulance service that came or the fire department?
I am amazed that anyone who has ever lived on the island or in a rural area wouldn't already know this.
For everyone bashing the responders; instead of complaining about how the system didn't do for you, learn how to use the system. Most 911 operators will walk you through simple first aid. If you think transporting yourself is the safest way to go, then prepare for it even in your mind before the crisis arises. (Side note, a lawn chair is a great way to move a injured person. Remember the picture of the FDNY chaplain who was killed in the 9-11attacks, he was carried for several city blocks in a desk chair from an office. Kudos to the responders for that idea.)
I have come to the conclusion in my life while at the island, that if I have a heart attack- I am going to die. Simply put, any help from the mainland can't get to me within the golden hour. Any chance of my survival will come from the people who can render aid immediately- my neighbors and family members.
It isn't going to be the first responders; it is foolish to think otherwise.
The same fact holds true if my island house catches fire... plan on it burning to the ground. A garden hose won't stop a cottage on fire.
In a life medical emergency, humans have a golden hour to get professional medical help in order to keep the upper hand of survival. A fire doubles in size every thirty seconds.
The reality of a response from 911: It takes an average of 5 minutes to take a 911 call and for the dispatcher to direct it to the right department. Add to that, the response time of the volunteer after being paged; seven minutes -at least- before the truck hits the road. Now we are into the call and responding in 12 minutes. Add to the time to get to the boat, don protective gear, get GPS coordinates, man the boat with enough help and motor out. Now add more time to find the dock without a street number... in the dark. In the case of the responding department they did pretty well in my book.
Not everything is as instantaneous in our lives as you would expect or want. Prepare yourself to be self-reliant in a crisis. Stop looking to bashing your neighbors who helped you and take some responsibility for your own survival.