EMS- Lynbrook Fire Department

Do you know what to do

if someone is badly injured

or suddenly becomes sick?

You should. Just knowing how to call for help in an emergency can help save a life. Take a few moments to read this information. Share it with your family and friends. Know how to make the right call-

who to call for help
when to call and
what to do until help arrives in medical emergencies.

CALL EMS IN EMERGENCIES ONLY

When you think someone is badly hurt or suddenly sick and in danger, call EMS immediately. EMS stands for emergency medical services. One call connects you with a whole emergency medical team- technicians, paramedics, physicians and nurses who are especially trained to handle these situations.

Call EMS when you think someone's life is threatened, when someone faints or collapses, has persistent chest pain or difficulty breathing, or is badly injured. If you are not sure if it is an emergency, do call EMS.

DON'T CALL EMS FOR NON-EMERGENCIES

Going to a doctor's appointment, getting a scraped knee bandaged or filling a prescription to not require professional EMS assistance. But calling EMS in non-emergencies does tie up the system and make it harder for EMS personnel to do their job responding to serious emergencies.

Again, if you are not sure if it's an emergency, do call EMS.

KNOW YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

You may know your local Emergency Medical Services a the ambulance service, the rescue squad, the fire department, the paramedics, or 9-1-1. What's important is to know how to contact them.

In communities with a 9-1-1 system, simply dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency connects you to EMS, the police and fire department.

WHEN TO CALL AN AMBULANCE

When should you call an ambulance instead of driving to the emergency department? Ask yourself the following questions:

Is the victim's condition life-threatening?
Could the victim's condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?
Does moving the victim need the skills or equipment of paramedics or emergency medical technicians?
Would the distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the victim to the hospital?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, or if you are unsure, it's best to call an ambulance. This is even true though you can sometimes get to the hospital faster by driving than by calling an ambulance. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians communicate with the physician in the emergency department by radio. they are trained to begin medical treatment on the way to the hospital. This prevents any delay that should occur if the patient is driven to the emergency department. The ambulance can also alert the emergency department of the patient's condition in advance.

If you live in a community with a single emergency number, call for help is easy. Just dial 9-1-1. If your community does not have the 9-1-1 emergency number, keep the numbers of the fire, police, and emergency medical services near your telephone. When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly. Give your name, the address, phone number, location of the victim (such as upstairs in the bedroom) and the nature of the problem. Don't hang up until the emergency operator tells you to. They may also need additional information or to give you instructions.

Information on when to call an ambulance provided by the American College of Emergency Physicians

KNOW WHAT TO SAY

The information you give the emergency dispatch operator helps EMS help you.

Stay calm, speak clearly, and stay on the phone until the emergency operator tells you to hang up.

Tell the emergency dispatch operator where to find the person needing emergency care, who is hurt or sick, and what happened. The emergency operator will also need to know what condition the victim is in and if any help is being given.

Give the exact location of the emergency. Point out any landmarks- nearby intersections, bridges, buildings- that will help the police and ambulance driver find you. And leave your name, address, and telephone number in case the emergency operator needs to get back in touch with you.

KNOW WHAT TO DO UNTIL HELP ARRIVES

You've called for help. The ambulance is on the way. What do you do while you wait?

If the emergency operator gives you specific instructions, remember them and carry them out. Don't move someone who is injured unless they are in danger. Do try to keep them as warm as possible. If someone else is with you, send them to meet the police and ambulance. Make it easy for the police and ambulance driver to spot you by turning on a porch light or marking your location with a flare or bright cloth if you are outside.

MEET THE EMS TEAM

Emergency Dispatch Operators answer emergency calls, obtain the who what and where information, and send help on the way.

Emergency Medical Technicians or EMT's, have various levels of training. Some EMT's drive the ambulance, assist with rescues, and perform basic emergency care. Other EMT's are emergency dispatch operators who send ambulances and emergency vehicles to the emergency scene.

Paramedics are EMT's with the highest level of training. They perform medical procedures at the scene of the emergency or in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Using a radio to communicate, paramedics often get instructions from physicians.

Emergency Nurses are specially trained to help and treat emergency patients. They are the first contact at the emergency room, they meet the ambulance, get the patients medical information and arrange for the doctor to see the patient.

Emergency Physicians are doctors who specialize in treating people who are seriously injured or who have become sick and very suddenly, such as heart attack victims.

If you are in Lynbrook, always dial 911 for an emergency.

The Lynbrook Fire Department

Bureau of Fire Prevention

Michael J. Kenny, Director of Education

The above information is available in printed form

from The Fire Prevention Bureau by calling 516-599-1410