We all take our senses for granted, but we know just how much they help us? When it comes to recognizing an emergency our senses are usually what tips us off. Knowing this doesn’t mean we should go in search of emergencies but maybe be a little more aware of our surroundings. Or just be more in tuned to what our sense are telling us.

So what is an emergency? By definition an emergency is a sudden and urgent occasion for acting or a pressing necessity. With this is mind sometimes we tend to create emergencies or none emergencies and overlook what could be potentially be a crisis. Some people see a co-worker being stung by a bee as a none emergency as others may see it life threatening. Who is right? This is the choice we have to make; correct deduction is the key to this decision. To the average person a bee sting has very little threat to their life, but what if that person is allergic to bee stings? Here is a short guide helpful when deciding to call for emergency help or not. The most important thing to remember is, when in doubt call for help, the ambulance is there as a public service to it’s community and doesn’t mind helping in any situation.

Always call EMS if you find someone unconscious, but what if the patient is conscious and tells you not to call? Look for these signs, and always remember better to be safe than sorry. An ambulance can always be turned down by the patient, so when in doubt call even if they tell you not too. Call an ambulance if the person is or becomes unconscious, or has trouble breathing. This is a broad topic if you ask me, how do you know when someone is having trouble breathing? Holding their chest is a good sign or loud labored breathing noises; anything that looks out of the norm to you. If you see bleeding, excessive vomiting or vomiting blood, or a definite injury to the head, neck or spine, minutes count, so the faster you call the faster you will have help. Most people think that pain in the stomach of anyone other than pregnant women is not an emergency. Quite the contrary, any pressure or pain in the abdomen that remains present for an extended period of time should seek emergency care. Someone with slurred speech, or a severe headache or has had a recent seizure could have more problems than what appears, like broken bones, this is a great example of an emergency needing immediate attention. And lastly if someone is found that appears to have been poisoned or overdosed on medications, an ambulance should be called right away. Medicine reacts differently in everyone that is why we are prescribed our medications, so taking someone else’s medicine could be very dangerous.

An ambulance crew is not going to be hostile or mad if you call them for what you may think to be an emergency but you are not sure:their job is to take care of the people in their community. People don’t have emergencies and accidents on purpose, therefore each community has the resources available in case of these infrequent disruptions. Being afraid to call for help could be the matter of someone’s life or not, and we are not god to be playing with the fate of someone else. So when in doubt please call for help, you’d be amazed at the nice people you will meet and the understanding they have for both patient and families in emergency situations.