What To Do During The Call
- When the dispatcher answers the phone they give you options of “fire, police or ambulance”. Ask to speak to the ‘ambulance’.
- When you are put through to the ambulance center they will ask a chain of questions. The initial question they will ask – where is the scene of the emergency? When giving the address, offer as much details as you can e.g. the name of the business, your home number or apartment number and street name.
- The next question they will ask is for your contact number – make sure you also give your extension number if you are at work at the time of the emergency.
- They will then say “tell me what happened”?
- Once they have the actual address and phone details, the dispatcher will then ask precise questions about the medical emergency. These questions are crucial in order to organize the proper care for the casualty. Possible questions could be the following:
- Is the casualty with you?
- Do you know the age of the casualty?
Place a key outside in a safe place. If you have a medical crisis – like falling down a flight of stairs – and can’t unlock the door for the EMS, they will have to break the door down. - Tell me whether the casualty is male or female?
- Are they conscious?
- Are they showing signs of breathing?
- Once all the information has been collected they will provide you with specific instructions to help the casualty. If needed the EMS dispatcher will remain on the phone to offer you support and further directions until medical assistance arrives. At this time, they may ask some extra questions to gather as much information as possible.
PLEASE DON’T PUT THE PHONE DOWN UNTIL THE DISPATCHER SAYS YOU CAN.
Tips
Write the names of your pills, the disorders for which you take them and the amount you require. Place this information someplace easy to find, like on the refrigerator or in your wallet. Making a list of allergies can also help the EMS.
Place a key outside in a safe place. If you have a medical crisis – like falling down a flight of stairs – and can’t unlock the door for the EMS, they will have to break the door down. If you have a key placed securely outside, you can tell the EMS dispatcher, and they can use the key to gain access to your house.
Know your location. It’s easy when you have a crisis at home, but what would you do if you were in an unfamiliar location? Make sure you know all major streets or buildings so you can give the EMS dispatcher accurate details.