Emergency services personnel said they want people to help them to decide on the right response to help patients.
Wally Patrick is the EMS Dir. for Buchanan County. He said not every situation warrants running sirens and lights on the ambulance.
“That’s not safe. It’s not safe for ambulance crews, it’s not safe for the individuals who are on the street when crews are responding, it’s not safe for the patient in the back of the ambulance,” Patrick said. “We have to be responsible enough to respond appropriately.”
In 2016 there were 11,272 calls which averaged to around 30 calls a day. Patrick said when a call comes in people can give them certain information that makes determining the type of response needed.
“We definitely are not opposed to running lights and sirens if the call warrants it. That’s where the caller or the general public can help us out by giving us information. By giving us accurate information when they make that initial call,” Patrick said. “Having some information. If your parents are on certain medications having that list available so you can say, ‘my father’s on blood thinner and he cut his hand on the saw.’ Well you know, blood thinner makes that a little more of an emergency than just if I cut my finger on a saw.”
At times, Patrick said ambulances are called to a scene where they are not needed which can impact services.
“During the first ice storm that we had this year I had nine ambulances on the road. A supervisor was out on the streets and I was out on the streets triaging because we had so many calls and we were running full capacity,” Patrick said. “Two individuals in smaller vehicles responding to determine the acuity of that call so we could get am ambulance to that next call that was more emergent than that other call.”
He said he doesn’t want people not to use the service, but rather give information so EMS can determine the correct response.
“We will respond. That’s not a problem and that’s not an issue. That’s our job and that’s our mission,” Patrick said.
He said ways to help responders include keeping a medical list nearby, putting animals up before EMTs arrive, clearing a path for crews to get to the patient, and having a time-frame on when situations took place to inform medical personnel.
“Our paramedics and EMTs don’t like to get dog bit anymore than anyone else. So having those animals put away,” Patrick said. “Clearing a pathway so we can get through the house…If you’re the individual and you’re there by yourself we fully understand you’re not going to get up and rearrange the furniture.”