If you ever find yourself in a situation where someone is in serious danger of life, knowing how to make a phone call to request an ambulance could really be a very useful skill. First of all, it is important to always have in mind - or memorized - the number of emergencies in the area where you are. If you are calm and ready to help, you could save a person's life.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Call the ambulance
Step 1. Stay calm
Take a deep breath and take a few seconds to calm down. While time is of crucial importance, you won't be able to help anyone if you are hysterical.
Step 2. Learn the number
The emergency services numbers vary depending on the country you are in. You should always memorize the emergency number in your area - it is only three digits after all. Take a look at the following list, which contains some numbers to dial to call for help.
- Dial 118 in Italy. You can also opt for 112, which is also valid in any other European country.
- Dial 911 in the United States and Canada.
- Dial 999 in the UK (if using mobile phone dial 112).
- Type 000 in Australia.
- Dial 119 in Japan.
- Other countries and continents have different numbers, so look for the number that's right for you if it's not listed above.
Step 3. Request an ambulance from the operator
The operator will want to know what kind of help you need. In this case, make it clear immediately that there has been a health emergency and that you need an ambulance immediately: it will send you all the necessary units to assist you.
- If the emergency occurred while a crime was being committed, it will be necessary to request the intervention of the police at the place where you are.
- If the emergency, on the other hand, is due to a fire or a road accident, the presence of the fire brigade will probably also be required.
Step 4. Provide the details to the operator
The person at the other end of the phone will ask you a series of questions so that you can correctly inform the various employees who will have to intervene. If requested, be prepared to provide the operator with the following information:
- Your location.
- The phone number you're calling from, if you know.
- If you are in a public place, tell the operator the closest intersection or reference point (for example "between street X and street Y").
- Tell him your name, the name of the person who is sick and why you need an ambulance. Report any medical history you know of the person.
Step 5. Stay calm and follow the advice
The operator will remain on the phone with you until the paramedics arrive and, with them, the ambulance.
The operator could also give you advice on how to help while you wait. Follow his directions
Step 6. Prepare to lend assistance
Once you arrive, the paramedics may ask you to help them with the surgery. Stay calm and in control and follow any instructions they give you. They may also ask you to leave the scene of the accident and wait for further instructions: if so, do not interfere with their work.
Part 2 of 3: Recognizing Emergencies
Step 1. Call emergency services only if you really need to
As a general rule, if the person is perfectly conscious and able to walk, there is no need for an ambulance, although there may still be a need to go to the hospital. Call only in cases where there is a need for medical intervention on the spot.
- Minor scratches, cuts, or bruises are not emergencies.
- Although it can be dangerous, a broken bone is often not a life-threatening emergency.
Step 2. Better to err for too much caution
If you feel unsure of the severity of the person's health condition, it is best to call for help. You are not a medical professional and do not know exactly how to treat or manage serious injuries, so let experts take care of it if you are unsure of what to do.
Step 3. Check that there is no life-threatening emergency
It can be difficult to recognize an emergency that represents a danger to life in a crisis situation, however there are some signs that you should recognize and that make you understand clearly that it is necessary to call an ambulance. These signs are:
- The victim is not breathing.
- The victim loses an excessive amount of blood.
- The victim does not move.
- The victim has no reactions.
- The victim feels dizzy, difficult to breathe, or appears to be in shock.
Step 4. Call first, help later
Your first instinct will likely be to help the person in need, but it is vital that you make the phone call first to get help. Every second is vital, so don't waste precious time trying to determine if you can help the victim before calling healthcare professionals.
Part 3 of 3: Providing Assistance While Waiting
Step 1. Analyze the situation
After calling the emergency number, there are often some things you could do to assist the victim. Analyze the situation to see if you can do anything to help her before the paramedics arrive.
Step 2. Eliminate any direct threats
Do everything possible to prevent the victim from being exposed to further dangers. Nonetheless, it is essential that, in doing this, you do not put yourself in danger: there is already an emergency, you don't need to create a second one.
- If the victim is bleeding heavily, apply direct pressure to the wound to stop blood flow. Tie a towel or shirt around the wound, then press. You can also use anything available to make a makeshift tourniquet. If necessary, a belt can also work, but remember that it would not be the ideal tool.
- If the emergency was caused by a car accident, it may be necessary to provide assistance by getting the person out of a vehicle that is on fire or emanating smoke.
- If the victim is in a dangerous area, such as a busy road, move him to the side of the road so that he is not hit by a car or another vehicle.
- Never approach a vehicle that is already on fire and, if the victim has suffered a spinal injury, never try to move it alone: you could worsen the injury or be the victim of an explosion yourself.
Step 3. Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation
If you are licensed and certified to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), it may need to be used. Check the person's vital signs. If you are not breathing, do CPR. Below you will find the steps to follow.
- When you need to perform CPR, start with chest compressions. You will have to do 30 consecutive: place your fingers in the center of the chest and compress downwards for about 5 cm. Make sure you massage hard and fast, reaching a speed of at least 100 compressions per minute - you will therefore need to press faster than once per second.
- After performing 30 chest compressions, you will need to blow two breaths of air into the person's lungs. To do this, gently tilt the victim's head back and lift their chin. Then seal her mouth by covering it with yours and pinching her nose. In this step, blow it in until you see that the person's chest has lifted. Blow two breaths each time for about one second each.
- Repeat the procedure for as long as necessary, compressing the chest 30 times for every 2 puffs of air you blow.
- If you are unfamiliar with CPR it is best to have someone else do it, as it may worsen the victim's condition during the procedure.
Step 4. Seek help in the immediate area
If you don't know how to do CPR, ask someone else around if they know how to do it. Also ask for assistance in any way possible to help the victim - you will need help even if you are trying to move a person who has not suffered spinal injuries.
Step 5. Comfort the victim
Even if you don't know how to provide medical assistance, you can at least give her moral support. The victim will likely be afraid or worried. Sit next to her and give her support and comfort until the paramedics arrive.
- Tell her help is on the way - keep talking to her and have her talk to you.
- Try to help the person relax and let them know they are not alone. If it is already on the ground, keep it lying there; if she is standing, make her stretch out.
- If she prefers, hold her hand or put a hand on her shoulder to let her know that you are still there and want to help.
- Listen to the victim's requests. Never give her food or drink unless you know the nature of her injuries. You could risk doing her more harm than good.
Step 6. Step aside
Once the emergency services have arrived, step aside and don't get in the way - unless they give you other instructions: Paramedics are trained professionals who are trained to respond to emergencies, but don't need to be distracted by you.
In the event of an incident you witnessed, the police are likely to take you aside to ask you a few questions about what you saw. Follow the cops' instructions and answer any possible questions while the paramedics deal with the victim
Advice
- Most people have a cell phone with them. Stop someone and ask them to call the ambulance, but do not ask directly to give you the mobile phone, since the request could lead to misunderstandings.
- Do not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or that could put you in danger. Remember: skilled professionals are on the way.
- In the United States, many 911 systems use E-911 or "Enhanced 911". In practice, if you call from a landline phone, the computer should be able to recognize the address you are calling from and also record the number to call back. Maybe this equipment is in use in Italy too, but don't take it for granted and be ready to tell the operator where you are.
- If you have an iPhone, just click on applications such as GPS911, GPS112 or similar to see your exact location on the screen.
- Any phone can work, and you won't need money to use a pay phone since the call is free.
- Learn how to perform CPR and how to provide first aid before an emergency occurs. Doing so could also save a life.
Warnings
- Do not hang up until the operator tells you to do so.
- Always check the victim's wrists and neck for any medical tags. They can be gold or silver but should have the red winged staff symbol with two snakes coiled around it. These platelets should report any medical problems, medications, or drug allergies.
- The operators who answer your emergency call are people. Although they expect a certain level of worry and panic from those on the other side of the phone, getting angry with them, cursing or insulting them are not appropriate reactions. If you insult emergency services workers, you could be accused of committing a crime, regardless of whether it happened in a crisis situation.
- Never call an ambulance as a joke. Doing so would waste public resources and put the lives of people who really need emergency aid at risk. Plus, it's illegal - you can be tracked directly from the phone you're using, and you might even get arrested.
