Ambulances for medical emergencies: Facts you should know

I have always wondered what I would do if I or someone I knew needed an ambulance. Unlike other countries, where emergency numbers are common knowledge, very few Indians would know about the number they need to call in case of a medical emergency.

According to the current policy, India is looking at collaborating with various private agencies to have a common emergency number. The debate is between using 100 or 108 as the emergency numbers is still on, and left open to the common man to decide which they would prefer. This number would be common for all emergencies, either medical or non medical in nature. Trying to emulate other countries like the US that has 911 and the UK that uses the number 112 in addition to 999, the Universal Single Number Based Integrated Emergency Communication and Response System (IECRS), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have asked for suggestions on the possible use of one emergency throughout the country.

108 is managed by the EMRI ( Emergency Management and Research Institute) across more than ten states in India. They have tied up with two agencies -- Ziqitza and GVKto provide the service in most states of the country.It is a public private partnership that most governmental agencies are opting for. The number is a common number for all kinds of emergencies and is available in Andhra Pradesh ,Gujarat, Uttarakhand , Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and 2 Union Territories Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. It is a 24X7 emergency service and is accessible from landlines as well as from cell phones, irrespective of the operator. These services are non-profit and therefore free of charge.

What makes this service difficult to implement in India is the fact that most states have their own restrictions and have to face different types of emergencies. For example, coastal states might have different emergency situations while land bound sates might have different ones.

In Maharashtra the emergency number was 102, which was discontinued a few months back. Although Maharastra is yet to implement the 108 system, there are a large number of private services that provide ambulances at a nominal fee. You can find the best Ambulance services in your area here. For regions in Mumbai or Navi Mumbai that are not in the list, you could try theseambulance services.

During an emergency situation, knowing what to do might save someone's life. Here are a few tips on what you should tell the emergency dispatcher while calling for an ambulance:

1. Be calm and tell the emergency operator the details about the type of emergency
2. You will be asked to tell him/her the address to where the ambulance should reach, including postal code.
3. Your phone number may also be asked for, in case the operator needs to contact you for directions.
4. He/she will also require the patient's age, sex and any medical history you might remember.
5. The operator will also need to know if the person is bleeding, if he/she is conscious, has chest pain and is breathing.
6. You will also be asked to explain the type of injury or emergency and what caused the incident.

Always remember that in an emergency situation it is important to stay calm and wait for the ambulance. In general an ambulance is supposed to reach the site within 10 minutes, but the Indian average is about 18 minutes. You should ideally stay with the patient till the ambulance service arrives, so that you can furnish them with any details they might require on the spot.

Depending on the type of emergency, you can opt for either of the two types of ambulances available. One is a Basic Life Support(BLS) ambulance and an Advanced Life Support(ALS) ambulance also called a Cardiac Care Ambulance.

A basic life support ambulance is equipped with life support equipment like an oxygen cylinder, BP monitor and stethoscope. This type of ambulance can be used for emergencies that are not very grevious or when the patient can be transported to the hospital quickly.

The other type of ambulance is the Advanced Life support Ambulance or the Cardiac care ambulance. This ambulance is fitted with advance life support machines such as defibrillators (a machine used to restart the heart), ECG machine (used to keep a check on the heart rate of a person), Ventilators, Oxygen cylinders, Pulse oxymeter (used to check for the mount of oxygen in the blood) , Resuscitation kit, suction machine, Nebuliser and BP apparatus. This kind of ambulance can be used in cases where the patient is either unconscious, has had a heart attack or is a known patient of heart disease. It can also be used in cases the patient has to be transferred to a hospital that is far away, or he/she is immobile and on life support. Irrespective of the type of ambulance you choose all ambulances will usually carry basic life-saving tools and medicines that may be required during an emergency.

In some cases the only way to transport a patient safely and quickly is in an Air ambulance. This service is meant for patients in remote areas, those who are on life support or for those patients who are too grievously injured to be transferred by road. During such emergencies, time is of the essence and transporting a patient quickly and safely to the hospital is essential. There are certain agencies in India that provide this service and can transport patients within India or to countries abroad.

Tips to remember while using an ambulance:

1. Make sure the person lays on a stretcher with his/her neck well secured, in case of injuries.
2. According to policy, neither is the emergency responder, nor is the driver of the ambulance to be paid anything. In case you are using a private ambulance, make sure you pay the ambulance charges at the hospital or service provider to which the ambulance belongs. This is essential because the bill you receive will be essential when you try to claim for medical insurance.
3. Be calm and try not to shout at the emergency service operators, this will only cause more confusion and distract them from their work.
4. If a patient is hurt in any way, or is not breathing you could resort to CPR or basic life saving techniques such as EAR before the ambulance arrives.

Lastly, it is important to be armed with all the right information during an emergency. If you have any doubts or concerned about the injured ask the doctor on duty in the hospital for clarifications. In case of applying for insurance, ask the billing clerk to clear all your doubts, be it an MLC(medico legal case) or otherwise.

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