Sometimes life strikes when you least expect it, and sometimes it helps preparing for and knowing how to handle a medical emergency. After all, you can call the hospital but sometimes it’s those crucial minutes in between and what you do during them that can make all the difference in the world. That is why we created this short list of things you can do in your home to help prepare.

1. First-aid kit – If you don’t have one, then buy one. Plenty of drug and department stores sell well-stocked first-aid kits and if you can’t find one you can always buy the necessary supplies to build one. There are plenty of sites online that can help with this but you definitely need to make sure you have bandages and wrappings, Band-Aids, disinfectant, scissors, tweezers, needle and thread, etc.

2. If you have an ADT Security Glendale system, or wherever in the country you live, you might be able to set it up to where you can be put in touch with emergency medical services at the press of a button.

3. Invest in a cordless phone. Most phones are cordless, these days, but if you find yourself in a bind you won’t feel restricted.

Consult with a doctor or your local hospital for more tips.

An Emergency Medical Services Worker may find themselves called upon to serve in many different areas. They will go out in snow, wind, rain, sleet and hail. Unlike the United States postal service, they do not get a day off in extreme emergency situations. The extreme emergency situations may be when their services are needed the most, after all. They may ride with an ambulance or with the paramedics. They are dedicated professionals who
give of the themselves. They will go out of their way to rescue a complete stranger.

Technical rescue operations can include many possible scenarios. water rescue, trench rescue, high angle rescue, hazardous material operations, confined space rescue and extrications from the simple to the complex can all fall within the scope of technical rescue operations.

Members of technical rescue teams go through high degrees of training. For starters, they are typically paramedics.
The medical training might even include certification as a critical care or a tactical paramedic. Since most rescues involve a live patient, it is important for members of the technical rescue team have the ability to address patient needs.

training in other disciplines such as hazmat, trench, confined space and high angle are at least to the operations level and commonly to the technician level. A team member trained to operations level has the ability to provide support for the operation. If trained to the technician level, the team member can actually carry out all the duties the operation requires.

Depending on the size of the community, technical rescue units may be free standing or staffed through multi-jurisdictional agencies.

The EMS units do not know exactly when and where they will be called upon. Transportation of an existing patient is no less a delicate affair than transporting an accident victim. They need to make sure that the equipment they need to keep the patient alive and comfortable during the trip is with them. This is more difficult for some patients than it is for others.

The EMS transport trips may not involve flashing lights or speed, but they are no less critical than the trips the ambulances and paramedics take to arrive on the scene of an accident. If something goes wrong, there may be serious consequences for the patient.

Some services run basic life support or BLS units. A basic life support unit can be used for initial stabilization of the patient until the ALS unit arrives or the basic life support unit can run the whole call. BLS units are typically staffed by EMTs. The EMT usually is not as well trained as a paramedic but they still have the skill sets to make a difference where needed.

Some emergency medical services, especially private services provide basic transport between various facilities such as a hospital to a nursing home or transport of patients to doctor or dialysis appointments. Depending on the level of care the patient may need, this transport can be by an ALS unit, a BLS unit or even a wheelchair van.