Emergency Medical Services System

Theemergency medical services (EMS) system is a network of community resources, equipment, and medical personnel that provides emergency care to victims of injury or sudden illness. An emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B) is a professional provider of prehospital emergency care, which includes care both at the scene and during transportation to the hospital. An EMT-B has received formal training and is certified to provide basic life support measures. An EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P) is qualified to provide advanced life support care, including advanced airway maintenance, starting intravenous drips, administration of medication, cardiac monitoring and interpretation, and cardiac defibrillation.

Activating the emergency medical services is often the most important step in an emergency. The rapid arrival of emergency medical technicians increases the patient's chances of surviving a life-threatening emergency. In the majority of urban and in some rural areas in the United States, the medical assistant can activate the local emergency medical services by dialing 911 on the telephone. Other areas have a local seven-digit number, in which case it is important to keep the number at hand.

When calling local emergency medical services, the medical assistant will speak with an emergency medical dispatcher (EMD). An EMD has had formal training in handling emergency situations over the phone. The responsibility of the EMD is to answer the emergency call, listen to the caller, obtain critical information, determine what help is needed, and send the appropriate personnel and equipment. The EMD is also responsible for relaying instructions to the caller about providing emergency care until the emergency medical technicians arrive.

These guidelines should be followed when calling the emergency medical services:

1. Speak clearly and calmly to the EMD. Identify the problem as accurately and concisely as possible so that proper equipment and personnel will be sent. The EMD needs to know the number of victims, the condition of the victim or victims, and the emergency care that has already been administered.

2. The EMD will ask you for your phone number and address. In responding, be sure to relay the exact location of the victim to the dispatcher, including the correct street name and house number, and (if applicable) the building name, the floor, and the room number. With the 911 enhanced emergency system, the address automatically appears on a monitor; however, there is a chance that the address will not show up on the monitor. In addition, the emergency may not be in the same location as the caller. If possible, have someone meet the ambulance personnel and direct them to the scene.

3. Do not hang up until the EMD gives you permission to do so. The dispatcher may need additional information or may give you instructions on treating the patient until emergency medical technicians arrive.