A glitch in procedure that could have cost a resident hall student his life was brought to light at the Inter-Residence Hall Association meeting Thursday.

Keith Twombley, IRHA president, was experiencing heart-attack symptoms Tuesday night in Wallace Hall, said Dave Breutzmann, Towers Residence Association president. Residents on the floor called for an ambulance. The ISU Police confirmed a call was received at 10:05 Tuesday night.

When the ambulance arrived, paramedics could not get into the building because of a locked exterior door, Breutzmann said.

The Department of Public Safety officer on duty did not have a key to get into Wallace Hall, Breutzmann said. The officer, according to procedure, was supposed to contact the Resident Assistant on duty, said John Shertzer, IRHA adviser and residence life coordinator for the Department of Residence.

The officer ended up calling an off-duty RA and the paramedics were let in, Breutzmann said.

Twombley did not experience a heart attack and is doing fine.

“I am upset paramedics were kept out of the residence halls when someone was in need,” Breutzmann said.

The Department of Residence made the decision to lock exterior residence hall doors on a 24-hour basis last fall. The decision was implemented over winter break.

Shertzer said the residence department is very concerned about the incident.

The department is working with the ISU Department of Public Safety on the situation, he said.

“There is something wrong with the procedure,” Shertzer said.

Shertzer also informed members that students would be receiving e-mails from the residence department concerning the number of returning residents. Students will be informed how many students will be able to return on a house to house level, he said.

Only Anthony House in Friley Hall will not be accommodated because it is a learning community, he said.

Shertzer estimated there would only be two or three people affected by this situation.

The only exception to the 50 percent maximum of upperclassmen is Fairchild House in Bartman-Welch-Roberts Hall, Shertzer said.

They will be allowed 59 percent of the house for returning residents.

A meeting was also held with Barker House residents, Randy Alexander, director of the residence department, and Shertzer to discuss the Fresh Start program and the 75/25 ratio, he said.

The residents were very understanding and it was an “excellent meeting,” Shertzer said.

A bill in response to the Helser vandalism fines, where each Helser resident is being fined at least $5 and possibly more for the destruction of doors in Helser Hall, was brought up at the meeting.

The bill called for the residence department to amend the terms and conditions to make the rules more clear on fines associated with vandalism.

Brandon Judas, Union Drive Association at-large representative, said the charges are still mounting and could possibly be as high as $10 per person.

The bill will be brought back to IRHA at the next meeting.