Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department dispatcher Mike Mulligan explains, “When a call comes in to 9-1-1, the dispatcher classifies it by category, such as medical, fire, criminal act or motor-vehicle related. Based on that classification, the dispatcher locates the origin of the call and evaluates the needs of the involved parties.”

If the emergency involves bleeding, loss of consciousness, chest pain or a traffic accident, it is assigned a “priority one” code, and fire, police and rescue vehicles are dispatched. A “priority two” could include severe illness such as fever or vomiting, and results in the appropriate emergency response unit being dispatched (usually medical or emergency medical personnel). “Priority three” or “four” codes are incidents which do not require the assistance of rescue personnel and the dispatcher often will refer the caller to the non-emergency number for the proper response team.

The wait for help can sometimes seem like forever. Pride Care Ambulance General Manager, Becki Russon, a licensed medic with 20 years’ experience explains, “In Kalamazoo County, there are very strict guidelines for the length of time a response should take depending on its priority. On average, in a metropolitan area like Kalamazoo, response time should range between eight and 12 minutes.”

If the first emergency responder contacted by the dispatcher is unable to meet these guidelines for response time, then the call is forwarded to another agency, one better able to respond. “Once the caller has been transferred to the correct response unit, then that dispatcher may stay on the phone with the victim or the caller until rescue help arrives,” Mulligan adds.

According to Dennis Reynolds, EMTP, Operations Manager of Van Buren Emergency Medical Services, one of the most important things a caller can do to aid a patient is to be calm, collected, and relay specific information to the dispatcher.

“While en route to the scene, we receive more detailed information about the situation from the dispatcher,” Reynolds states. “It’s extremely important for the person who is calling to remain calm and to provide as many details as possible: What type of emergency is it? How many people are involved? What is the nature of any injuries?”

Secondly, Reynolds cautions the caller not to try to move the patient, unless there is a life-threatening emergency like fire or explosion. “Keep them calm, hold their hand, provide comfort or even first aid if you are trained to do so,” Reynolds advises. “Don’t try to move them.”

Once the emergency response team arrives, Reynolds encourages the patient and others to “let them do their job.” Emotions run high and people are scared.

“One of the hardest things for people, especially parents to do, is to let us get in there, evaluate the scene and treat the patient as quickly and effectively as possible,” he says.

“We are equipped for just about anything,” Reynolds says. “Everyone dispatched is equally trained to handle any emergency.”

Training is Key
In an emergency situation, how many of us would know what to do until the ambulance arrives? Reynolds believes it’s important for people to be trained in first aid and certified in CPR to help in the event of an emergency. “It’s not something you learn from a book,” he explains. “First aid and CPR should be learned from a licensed, reputable source.”

Many Southwest Michigan hospitals and some adult and community education programs offer courses which include adult, infant and child first aid, CPR, and training in the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). American Red Cross statistics show that more than 200,000 Americans die of cardiac arrest every year and that nearly 50,000 of these deaths might have been prevented if someone had been trained to use an automated external defibrillator. Last year, nearly 11 million people enrolled in American Red Cross health and safety courses.

Being safe is always better than being sorry, so knowing what you can do to help in an emergency can make that eight to 12 minutes of response time more effective. And, for those who take the time to learn and practice first aid and CPR, the time spent could save someone you know or love.

Resources:
First Aid and CPR Courses in Southwest Michigan: Allegan, Cass, St. Joseph and Kalamazoo — www.greaterkzooredcross.org
Barry — American Red Cross of West Central Michigan — www.wcm.redcross.org
Berrien — American Red Cross-Berrien County, Michigan Chapter — berrienredcross.org
Calhoun/Branch — calhounbranchmi.redcross.org
Van Buren — Van Buren County Chapter American Red Cross — (269) 621-6456
American Heart Association — www.americanheart.org