Every home and commercial business should be prepared with an evacuation plan in case of emergency. Whether it’s a fire or a carbon monoxide outbreak, having a plan in place will ensure safety for all. On top of being prepared, having a reliable emergency service provider in your area is imperative. Here’s what to look for with emergency service providers.
Trained Professionals
In searching for quality emergency service providers, one of the most important aspects to keep an eye out for are trained professionals. Trained professionals must also be able to communicate effectively with callers and patients to ensure a swift response. And according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), trained professionals are expected to fulfill several roles and must be skilled at a number of core tenets.
Trained professionals should be able to conduct proper “Patient Welfare Screening” and assess situations in real-time. This includes taking note of signs of physical damage (e.g. bruising, scarring, contusions, etc.) alongside any stress on a patient’s mental health. On top of “screening” patients, being aware of what’s going on in a patient’s environment (for example, a gas leak) that could cause harm to a patient’s physical and/or mental health is imperative as well. They must also be able to coordinate with the appropriate local authorities given each unique situation.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in particular are expected to be trained in a number of physical practices — including the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), oxygen administration, and safely transporting patients to medical facilities. On top of that, EMTs should know how to treat patients experiencing allergy attacks. Paramedics, on the other hand, should be able to administer drip IVs, provide medication, and resuscitate patients.
Good Communication from Emergency Service Providers
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that “Over 3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels and kerosene for cooking.” Keeping a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector are good practices, though you’ll want to make sure they’re functioning properly and can connect to the proper emergency service providers — ensuring good communication on both ends.
Good communication is another important principle when looking into emergency service providers. Said providers should be able to speak fluently, clearly, and should have impeccable phone etiquette so as to diagnose problems off the cuff. This is particularly important when calling 911, as dispatchers should be trained in remediating real-time conflicts, keeping callers calm, as well as guiding them through CPR and other general first-aid procedures.
911 dispatchers should also be adept at problem-solving and have the ability to contact the appropriate emergency services given the circumstances — like the fire department when an apartment complex catches fire. If that weren’t enough, Reader’s Digest also notes that dispatchers should also “Have a working knowledge of laws, legal codes, government regulations, and agency rules,” on top of being “an excellent speaker and writer of English.” Being multilingual is always a plus, as well.
The outlet also notes that dispatchers also do “take a lot of verbal abuse.” Whether it’s a frantic caller or just one who needs to vent, respect goes both ways. Dispatchers should remain composed in the face of verbal abuse, but that doesn’t warrant a hostile browbeating from the caller’s end, either.
Fast Response
Being a swift responder in the face of adversity is another key aspect one should consider when looking for helpful emergency service providers. Chris Carver, operations director for the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), revealed that nearly 240 million emergency calls are placed a year in the United States alone — thus averaging out to about 650,000 calls a day.
With so many calls coming in on a daily basis, dispatchers should be able to field such calls, on top of diagnosing and remediating the problem as soon as possible. Evaluating the severity of an emergency by asking the appropriate questions, keeping the caller calm, and leading them in the right direction will allow for dispatchers to tend to as many emergencies as possible.
The same can be said for EMTs, as well. Being able to diagnose the physical/mental/physiological ailments that plague a person in real-time will allow EMTs to make informed decisions on what medications to administer and what procedures to abide by. This, in turn, ensures the survival of patients under the guidance of said EMTs.
Air Ideal’s Commitment to Safety
When dealing with airborne commercial or household issues, coordinating with emergency service providers is undoubtedly very important.
Air Ideal, however, is committed to providing you, your family, and your co-workers with the utmost safety — so that you can live at home and work in the office with peace of mind. Our trained technicians are able to diagnose any issues plaguing your HVAC system and can remediate such, so you never have to worry about unhealthy indoor air quality.
To learn more about Air Ideal’s commitment to safety and how we can help you, please visit our website and contact us today!