Written By Chris Shandera
For Ada County Paramedics
Each year Ada County Paramedics respond to tens of thousands of emergency calls all over Ada County. In this post you will learn 6 ways you can help us help you or a loved one during an emergency.
1. Pull to the right when you see an ambulance with its emergency lights on
Responding to an emergency is one of the most dangerous aspects of being a paramedic. While we train annually on emergency driving tactics, we need your help. We are trained to pass vehicles on the left. So if you see us behind you with our lights on, please safely pull to the right side of the road and come to a stop until we have passed your vehicle.
2. Make sure your house numbers are well lit and easily visible from the street
One of the biggest frustrations we face is when we’re not immediately able to find your residence. If home owners ensure the numbers on their houses are placed in a well-lit and highly-visible location it helps us reach you even more quickly. It’s not uncommon for us to respond to an emergency and find the home owners have painted their house numbers the same color as the house! As you can probably imagine, this makes an address extremely difficult to find.
3. Display one of our Ada County Paramedic “refrigerator cards” in your home
When we arrive to take care of you or a loved on, it’s extremely helpful for us if you have an Ada County Paramedics “refrigerator card” hanging somewhere in clear view, like on your fridge. These cards provide us with vital information about the patient’s medical history and any medications they may be taking. Being a paramedic, at times, is like being a detective– and this information is critical in helping us determine what the best method of treatment will be for our patients. To request a free refrigerator card, email us at [email protected].
4. Work with family members on end-of-life documentation, like Idaho POST forms or “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNRs)
When responding to emergencies we often encounter patients who are approaching the end of life. They have spent time with family members and sometimes clergy and have decided they do not want life-saving procedures in the event their heart stops. We want to honor the wishes of the family and the patient, but by state law we are bound by the presence of the Idaho POST form. The patient’s family physician would be a good resource for more information on Post Forms.
5. Purchase a VitalRide Ambulance Membership so you don’t have to worry about the ambulance bill
Let’s face it, no one likes bills, especially medical bills. And knowing an ambulance ride can cost upwards of $1,500, you’ll want to be prepared in the event you call 911. We have a solution that will save you money. The Ada County Paramedics VitalRide Ambulance Membership is only $60 a year for your ENTIRE household. When you call 911, we don’t want you to worry about your bill. We want you to focus on getting better.
6. Learn CPR
According to the American Heart Association, about 92 percent of heart attack victims die before reaching the hospital. But stats prove if more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. CPR can also double, or even triple chances of survival. If someone receives adequate CPR prior to the arrival of the Ada County Paramedics their chance of survival increases dramatically. Taking the time to learn CPR can make an incredible difference. If you’re interested in taking a CPR class through Ada County Paramedics, call 208.287.2972!