Health & Safety Services

🚑 When to Call an Ambulance

If you're wondering whether to call EMS, you probably should. When in doubt, dial 9-1-1. It's better to be safe than sorry.

🩺 The A-B-C’s of Emergency Care

Airway

• Choking

• Serious injuries to the face, mouth, or throat

Breathing

• Difficulty breathing

• Shallow or absent respirations

• Severe asthma attacks

Circulation

• Severe or uncontrollable bleeding

• Weak or absent pulse

• Chest pain, suspected heart attack or stroke

🚨 Common Medical Emergencies

• Shock: Fainting, poor vital signs, disorientation, or loss of consciousness

• Poisoning: Ingested, inhaled, absorbed, or injected substances; allergic reactions to food, medications, or insect stings

• Head/Spinal Injury: Any trauma to the head, neck, or back

• Diabetic Emergencies: Disorientation in known or suspected diabetics

• Burns: More serious than sunburn, chemical-related, or accompanied by breathing difficulty

• Fractures: Suspected broken bones, often with pain and swelling

• Trauma Injuries: Falls, car accidents, or any incident where the patient cannot move or has numbness

📞 When Calling for Help

• Identify yourself and provide your exact location (include apartment/unit number if applicable)

• Describe the emergency:

  • Is the patient conscious? Breathing? Bleeding?

  • What caused the injury?

  • How many people are affected?

  • Is there ongoing danger (fire, smoke, electricity)?

• Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up—they may offer first aid instructions

🕒 Until Help Arrives

• Stay calm and keep the patient reassured

• Do not move the patient unless absolutely necessary

• Make sure your house number is visible from the street

• Turn on outside lights and, if possible, assign someone to meet the ambulance

☎️ To Report an Emergency: Dial 9-1-1