When you call 911
Dispatch and emergency communications services for Montgomery County, the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and Virginia Tech are provided by the NRV dispatch center in the public safety building in Christiansburg. When you call 911, your call is received by a trained 911 call taker.
You should dial 911 for the rescue squad when there is an imminent threat to life or health. An example of an emergency is:
Any medical emergency
Any potential life threatening situation such as a traffic accident with injuries
When you call 911, you should stay calm and state your emergency. Speak loudly and clearly. Give the 911 call taker the address where help is needed, along with your name and phone number. Answer the call taker’s questions. Stay on the telephone if it is safe to do so, and do not hang up until the call taker tells you to. It is very important that you stay on the line during a 911 call unless your life is threatened by doing so.
When you call 911, the call taker will answer the phone with “NRV 911, Where is your emergency?” We must verify the accurate location since individuals may call 911 from locations other than where the incident is occurring. ALWAYS provide your location along with additional details that are necessary for dispatching the appropriate emergency responders. This includes your name and phone number in the event a call back is required. If you do not know the physical address for your location, provide information such as the street name, mile marker, along with any recognizable landmarks around you.
The call taker will ask specific questions that are vital to the proper response and safety of you the caller and emergency response units. The call taker will notify a dispatcher, who will alert the appropriate police, fire and/or medical units for the location of the emergency. The 911 call taker will continue to ask crucial questions while the emergency responders have been dispatched. These may include:
How long ago did the incident occur?
Does anyone need medical attention? If so, are they conscious and breathing?
Were there any weapons involved and if so, what type and description?
What was the mode of transportation; a car, bike or on foot?
If a vehicle was involved, what is the description and what was the direction of travel?
Although these may seem like an unreasonable number of questions during an emergency, they are very important to emergency personnel.
As questions are answered, the call taker enters the details on the computer in the incident report that is created from the call. The dispatcher also sees this information and relays by radio details that will help the responders plan their actions when they arrive on the scene.
Cell Phone Calls
If you call 911 from a cell phone, the location information is not presented with a fixed location or physical address. Location information from a wireless phone is different than calling from a traditional “landline” phone. The information will appear as an approximate location and display a latitude and longitude based on network capabilities. Emergency calls from wireless phones are routed to the nearest 911 Center based on the cellular tower receiving your signal and not your actual location. Therefore, you may not automatically route to the appropriate 911 center and a transfer will be required.
When there is a call for the rescue squad, an alert is sent to the rescue squad alert system in the station, broadcast over the radio, and sent to the Active-911 program that alerts members via an app on their phones. The crew on duty will respond to the alert, driving an ambulance to the scene. They will receive information about the call from the 911 dispatcher while en route, which helps them determine their course of action.
On the Scene
For a typical call the crew will unload the stretcher, which carries the assessment backpack and a portable oxygen tank. Depending on the call, the portable heart monitor might be included. The lead EMT will size up the scene, direct others on the crew, and begin the assessment of the patient. They will ask what caused the call, what level any pain is at, and check vital signs -- blood pressure, respiration, oxygen level, and possibly blood sugar. Additional questions and examination will help establish the plan of action. If the patient is alert and oriented, they will be asked if they want to go to the hospital (it is their right to accept or refuse). If the problem is serious enough or the patient isn't responsive, a trip to the emergency room is in order. An up-to-date copy of the Medical History Form should be provided to the crew with details such as medications and health issues.
If there is a way in and enough room, the power stretcher will be used to move the patient. The patient may move under their own power to get on the stretcher, may be assisted by crew members, or will be lifted onto the cot. If space is tight or there are too many stairs that prevent bringing in the stretcher, there are alternative methods to move a patient. A solid, flat backboard, the "scoop" (a stretcher that comes apart), or a Reeve's sleeve (a semi-rigid stretcher that rolls up) may be put into use. If the patient is able to move to sit down, a stair chair can be used to navigate a stairway; this item has treads that allow it to roll down steps (braced at top and bottom by crew members) while the chair is leaned back.
Once on the ambulance, the crew will continue its assessment, switching from a manual blood pressure cuff to the automated cuff connected to the monitor. Leads to measure heart activity may be attached to create an EKG. Once the patient is stabilized, the driver will be given the OK to head to the hospital. While en route, the EMT providing care will contact the emergency room via radio to give a "patient care report." This will include vital signs, a status report, and other pertinent information so the hospital staff will be prepared for the arrival of the patient. At the emergency room, the stretcher will be wheeled into an exam room, the patient transferred to the bed, and the EMT will give a report on the patient. The rest of the crew will prepare for the next call, cleaning the stretcher with disinfecting wipes, putting on a new sheet, blanket, and pillow, and restocking supplies such as a blood pressure cuff. The crew and ambulance will return to the rescue squad station to wait for the next call.
Depending on the situation, someone may ride in the ambulance with the patient, such as a parent with a child. If a family member drives to the hospital separately, they will need to use the public entrance to the emergency room. They should check in with the desk to report their presence, and wait to be called back to the exam area. At this time, masks are required of anyone entering the hospital.
