Who You Gonna Call? EMS Week 2020

This week we celebrate Emergency Medical Services, EMS. Oftentimes we don’t think about these heroes until we need them. They show up at our worst times. Whether it be the ambulance crew that shows up to deliver you safely to a hospital, the Emergency Room personnel that is ready to help when you arrive, the firefighters who show up to save your home, or the police who are on the scene of an unexpected accident, these men and women are trained and ready to help when you need them the most.

One of the ways we can help them in return is to know when to call on them for help and when not to.

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, you should call your local emergency number (Such as 911) if the person you are helping:

• Is unconscious, gasping for air or not breathing, experiencing an allergic reaction, having chest pain, having uncontrollable bleeding, or any other symptoms that require immediate medical attention
• Could be injured if they are moved (such as if they have been in a motor vehicle accident or have a neck injury)
• Needs the equipment and skills of paramedics

If you happen to be alone, call 911 if you:

• Have severe chest pain
• Have severe bleeding
• Think you might faint, or your vision is impaired

Though not every situation calls for an ambulance, certain situations such as heart attacks or stroke are safer because paramedics can deliver life-saving care on the way to the hospital.

Dispatchers are also invaluable in times of emergency. If you are not sure whether the situation is truly an emergency you can call 911 and the dispatcher can tell you what to do until help arrives, including step-by-step instructions to help someone who needs CPR or first aid, or who is choking.

Another way we can help is to be prepared for non-emergency situations by having a first aid kit available in the home and workplace like the Luminary IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) below.  

Luminary salutes all our Emergency Medical Services personnel. Thank you for all you do to help each of us in our worst moments.