What happens when you call 911?
When you call 911, your call is answered at one of six regional Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP). Calling from a landline is much more effective than from a cell phone because it provides a number and address of the phone you are using, saving precious time. If you require an ambulance, your call will be transferred to our Medical Communications Management Centre in Moncton (MCMC), which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is very important that you only call 911 in an emergency.
When you call 911, it is important that you have the following information ready:
- The address, community name and phone number where the ambulance is required
- What happened
- How many patients there are
- List of medications (if applicable)
An Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) will ask you several questions to help triage the call and ensure the ambulance is responding to the correct location of the person requiring the ambulance. The information you provide will assist in sending the appropriate resources quickly and efficiently.
What do you do when an ambulance is behind you?
Seeing an ambulance with lights and sirens can be alarming and at times, we are not always sure how to react. Lights and sirens automatically indicate the ambulance has the right of way. When it is safe to do so, turn on your signal light and pull over. Exceptional conditions might prevent you from removing your vehicle from the ambulance’s way such in the case of being on a bridge. In this event, the ambulance driver would turn off the sirens to reduce stress on other drivers.
An ambulance is parked on the roadside, why is it sitting there?
New Brunswick has over 80 ambulance stations and posts located throughout the province to better serve the communities. Statistics provide valuable information as to where accidents might potentially occur during specific times of day. In addition to the stations, ambulance posting has been proven to be an effective measure to increase ambulance presence in the community. Location is key for ambulances to be one of the first responders on scene in case of an accident.
The ambulance engine should be running in order for the high-tech equipment to be functional and ready in case of an emergency.
What is a seat-to-seat transfer?
A seat-to-seat transfer is defined as a change in staff during transportation of a patient. This process can be compared to a relay, where one team of paramedics conduct the first part of a trip and a second team will finish the journey. Keeping a fresh team of employees for longer trips ensures patient and staff safety at all times.
Who should take a CPR course?
CPR certification (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a skill that everyone should have. It’s a fact of life that emergencies are going to happen. If you are not prepared, it can be a moment of sheer panic when they happen to you or around you. CPR first aid training class is often required for people working in certain sectors but those without first aid and CPR training through work should also be prepared.
CPR certification should be compulsory for every parent as well as those working with children and young people.
CPR courses are available through authorized CPR training classes such as the ones offered by the Canadian Red Cross or the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Although you might have been certified in the past, keep yourself current with a refresher course as your certification needs to be renewed every two years to meet the most updated CPR guidelines.
What are the responsibilities of a Paramedic?
A paramedic is a medical professional who provides medical care to patients on scene, en route to hospitals or other medical facilities. Given the unpredictability of clinical presentations in the field, paramedics are skilled in emergency techniques and well-versed in various medical treatments. They are also trained in administering medication to patients for the relief of specific symptoms and conditions.
Paramedics have a large amount of medical training that can be put to the test at any time due to the variety of calls they respond to. They can be called upon to manage cardiac arrests, perform defibrillation, secure airways, assist with childbirth, immobilize fractures, and provide treatment for chest pain, difficulty breathing, or numerous other injuries or illness. They are often the primary point of contact within the healthcare system for patients in need. Furthermore, paramedics can control and manage critical situations, mass casualty incidents and trauma victims.
Paramedics also provide needed medical support to patients during inter-facility transports when patients are transferred between hospitals or other medical facilities.
What are the responsibilities of an Emergency Medical Dispatcher?
An Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) is a communications specialist, assigned with the gathering of information related to medical emergencies. If need arises, the EMD can provide verbal assistance with life saving instructions prior to the arrival of Emergency Medical Services. The EMD dispatches and assists EMS resources responding to emergency call.
The EMD fills a number of critical functions such as identifying basic call information and triaging of incoming calls by expertly determining the severity of the patient's illness or injury condition with a methodical interrogation. The EMD is then able to assign the appropriate resource, such as an ambulance, from the closest or most appropriate location, ensuring the crew of the response resource receives all the necessary information.
The EMD systematically collects and manages information regarding each call, ensuring both legal and quality assurance purposes.
What are the responsibilities of a Flight Nurse?
A flight nurse is a highly trained registered nurse experienced in advanced life support and critical care. Dealing with a variety of emergencies and diverse conditions, the flight nurse needs the combined skills of an intensive care nurse, emergency nurse and critical care nurse.
A flight nurse evaluates individual patient's in-flight needs and requests appropriate medications, supplies and equipment, provides continuing nursing care, comfort and patient safety from sending to destination facility. He/she acts as liaisons between medical and operational aircrews and support personnel in order to provide expedient transfer and commence emergency treatment in the absence of a physician during in-flight medical emergencies. A flight nurse has expertise in mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic support, vasoactive medications, and other intensive care skills.
I’d like to have a career as a Paramedic in New Brunswick! What do I need to do?
The Atlantic Paramedic Academy, a MEMS affiliate, is the only institution in New Brunswick that provides full accreditation for individuals interested in a career in the Emergency Medical Services industry. The Primary Care (PCP) course is available for those who wish to pursue a career as a Paramedic care provider.
For more information about the program, please visit http://www.memsacademy.com/en-us/Pages/home.aspx