Someday, more likely than not, you will have to call 9-1-1 (if you haven't already). I want to inform those people who are not in the life-saving or dispatch business of some important things. But first, let me inform you that depending on where you live, every 9-1-1 dispatch is a little bit different.
If you live in the OKC and surrounding area (EMSA's coverage area) then this definitely applies to you!
We have procedures and protocols like most companies do. We must adhere to these policies, mostly because this is the most effective way we can make sure our job is done right. What we do is accurate and the information we seek to obtain is very important for all involved.
When you call 9-1-1, the person you initially talk to is a police dispatcher. They shunt your call to the most appropriate agency whether it be for a fire, medical emergency, or they'll remain on the line for other matters. So, when you get to us this is the first thing we say:
"this is EMSA, what is the address of your emergency?"
What should the typical response by the caller be, you ask? What would you say?
Hmm...maybe your ADDRESS? You'd be surprised at how many people immediately scream in my ear or start spouting off a bunch of mumbly jibberish that I cannot comprehend. And it's quite frustrating when all I asked for was your address!
Ok, so maybe sometimes people's brains get mushy when they're stressed. But if you call 9-1-1, please be cooperative! There is nothing we can do for you if you are a-demanding b-not listening c-interrupting me, and d-cussing me out.
These are the responses I typically get when I answer the phone with the opening question as mentioned above:
- "well, it's not really an emergency, but..."
- "yeah hi, my momma, yeah she been hurtin' in her back for about 2 weeks and..."
- "now listen, I don't want you coming with your lights and sirens now..."
- "Oh my God, #*$&@! *$&@! #($@)! She's not breathing! Please! Just help! Hurry up!"
- "Ugh...my what? Oh, I don't know my own address, ugh..."
- "Hi, yeah I need a ride to the emergency room because I don't have my own car..."
If I had to choose, the most frequent response we get out of people is similar to the second one listed. People don't even tune in to what the person on our side is saying. We don't want to know what's going on with you just yet, it's kinda important to know where to send help first, don't ya think?!
Don't assume that when you call for help that we know where you are. In these days and ages, cell phones are the majority of our communication. I personally do not own a home telephone. If you ever call 9-1-1 from a cell phone, we do not necessarily know where you are at. Your cell phone will hit off of nearby phone tower, and within usually a 1-2 mile radius you are located from that tower. So when seconds count and you have no clue what address you're at, or a cross street you're standing at, what do we do?
One other note: if you or someone nearby needs an ambulance and you are talking to one of us on the phone, we need to ask you a series of questions. Our job isn't just to get an ambulance to you, but to also obtain important information about what is going on. Even if it's something as simple as an elderly man falling and hurting his leg, it could also be something serious and dangerous like a drive-by shooting. We ask lots of questions so we can let our paramedics know what they are coming into, that way they can be prepared mentally and grab extra equipment if needed. If there is a serious emergency going on, we are also trained and certified to give you very helpful and important instructions to start immediate care to the patient. We also do it to keep our emergency crews safe. Our protocol is that we do not enter a crime scene (assaults, shootings, stabbings, etc) without the police on the scene first.
Therefore, please be patient with us when we ask you questions. It is for the good of the whole situation if you let us do our job to help you! Just know that while we talk, it is NEVER holding up the help that is on the way to you. Once we have your address verified, and ambulance already starts coming throughout the rest of our conversation.
This business is more than meets the eye. So many misconceptions about my job that I hope everyone I know can understand just a little bit better. You may only call 9-1-1 very rarely in your lifetime. But when you do, your experience can literally mean life or death for someone, and I hope you can understand how important simple listening skills can be!
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