When You Call "911" When you call "911", your call is routed to a Public Safety Answering Point where a trained dispatcher will ask you a series of questions to determine what assistance you need. Depending on your answers, the dispatcher may send police, fire, ambulance, rescue, paramedics, haz-mat, a helicopter or some combination of them. Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you it is OK to do so. If the dispatcher gives you instructions, follow them carefully. If you have pets, put them in another room for the safety of the emergency responders and to assure that the patient or victim does not experience a delay in treatment. If possible, send someone to guide the emergency responders to the exact site of the emergency. Up to 3 different agencies (police, ambulance, paramedics) may respond and they may not arrive at the same time, so you may need to send someone to guide the emergency responders 3 separate times. See the next paragraph. For a medical emergency or injury, police and an ambulance will be dispatched. The ambulance will be staffed with Emergency Medical Technicians who can provide basic life support (BLS). If your emergency is serious, paramedics from a local hospital may also be sent to provide advanced life support (ALS). You will be transported to the nearest appropriate hospital. In most cases, that means you will be transported to the local hospital of your choice. For serious trauma, you may be transported to a trauma center, even if it means passing a closer hospital. This is to assure that you receive the level of treatment that is appropriate for your situation. If the hospital of your choice is on "bypass" (the Emergency Room is full and you may face a lengthy wait) or "divert" (the entire hospital is full and you may face a lengthy wait), you will be informed so you can decide if it might be better to go to a different hospital. |
.gif)
