When you dial 999 you will reach a control centre and an operator will ask you which service you need; for a medical emergency, you need to ask for an ambulance. Once you have requested an ambulance, you will be put through to a call handler. The call handler will ask you questions, including:
- Where you are: try to be as specific as possible so that the ambulance will be able to find you quickly and easily; if you know the postcode, this will be very helpful but any other information about the location will also be useful. You may also be asked for your telephone number.
- What has happened: again, you should try to give as much information as possible; this enables the ambulance crew to try and prepare for the situation and gives them a rough idea of the kind of injuries they may be dealing with.
- Details of any injuries and the state of the patient: you will probably be asked if the patient is conscious or unconscious and whether you can see any obvious injuries, for example, if you notice bleeding or a fractured bone.
- Details of the patient: you may be asked about the sex and age of the patient and if you know them, you might be asked about their medical history; for example if you think somebody might have had a heart attack, you may be asked if they have had one before.
What happens next?
Once you have called the emergency services, the control centre will contact the relevant service and help will be sent out as quickly as possible. If you are dealing with a casualty in a serious condition or you do not have any first aid training, you may find it helpful to stay on the line so that the operator can give you first aid advice and tell you what to do while you wait for the ambulance to arrive. If you hang up and the patient’s condition changes, call the operator back and tell them that the patient’s condition has changed.
Wait with the patient until the paramedics arrive and if you are inside a house or a building, ask somebody to wait outside so that the paramedics can be directed to where the casualty is as quickly as possible. If you have time and it is possible, collect any medication the patient may have been taking and note down details of their GP. If you know the patient, you can tell the paramedics about their condition, their general health and warn them about any allergies they may have.
Often, a rapid response car or bike will arrive before the ambulance; these vehicles are quicker and may be located closer to where you are; the casualty can then be treated quickly before being taken to hospital in the ambulance.
