Community Resources

• When to Call 911
• Emergency Information Card
• Special Needs / Chronic Conditions
• Health Care Directives
• Disaster Preparedness
• Ten Ways to Save a Child
• Medical Websites
• Other Health Resources
• Ambulance / EMT at Your Event
• Other Local Resources

When to Call 911

When Do I Need an Ambulance?

For some emergencies, you should immediately call 911 and request an ambulance. Other health conditions, even if they require urgent treatment, do not require an ambulance. Use the lists below as general guidelines; when in doubt, call 911!

Emergencies Requiring an Ambulance

Call 911 immediately for any serious condition. Don't take a chance with anything life-threatening, including:

Allergic Reaction – systemic reaction
Altered mental status / sudden, sustained confusion
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
Heart attack
Insect bites – systemic reaction
Loss of consciousness
Moderate to severe difficulty breathing
Other major injury
Poisoning—only if accompanied by other serious symptoms
Seizure
Severe bleeding or head injury
Stroke/TIA (transient ischemic attack)
Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision
Sudden profound weakness
Sudden profuse sweating at rest
Suicidal feelings
Trouble speaking or understanding
Vomiting or diarrhea of extended duration or where blood is present

For children, call 911 immediately for any serious problem. Symptoms that are serious for a child may not be as serious for an adult. In particular, call 911 immediately if:

Your child is having any difficulty breathing, for example:
breathing faster than normal;
child looks paler than usual or has whitish or bluish lips;
child is coughing excessively, choking or breathing irregularly.
If your child has any injury where you think a bone may be broken or there is a wound that may need stitches.
Your child is vomiting following an injury.
Your child has diarrhea, vomiting AND has: No tears;
Very dry mouth;
Not urinating at least 2-3 times over the last 24 hours.
Your child is under 3 months of age and has a fever over 38° C or 100.4° F.
Your child has a fever and is difficult to wake up or is very sleepy.
If your child develops a rash that does not turn white when you push on it.

Health Conditions that May Not Require an Ambulance

Allergic reactions – localized reaction
Animal bites – mild to moderate
Back pain
Burns – mild to moderate
Chronic (ongoing) aches and pain
Coughing, colds, severe sore throat
Cuts, scrapes, bruises
Dental pain
Difficulty breathing - Mild
Ear pain / infections
Eye irritation
Fever or flu-like symptoms
Insect bites – localized reaction
Migraine headache
Rash or other skin irritations
Skin rashes
Small bone fractures (toe, foot, finger)
Sprains and strains
Urinary burning
Vomiting or diarrhea of short duration

UNH Students: you may be able to go to UNH Health Services for these health conditions.

Remember—when in doubt call 911 and request an ambulance.

Do not call 911 for non-emergency transportation, use taxi cabs or call a private ambulance listed below or under “Ambulance” in your local telephone directory.

Calling 911

What number should I call?

Call 911. While older numbers may still work, calling 911 helps ensure a rapid response with the correct resources.

What information should I bring with me to the hospital?

List of Medications and Allergies
(McGregor has a form that you can print out and attach to your refrigerator)
Immunization History
Advanced Directives
Do Not Resuscitate Order
Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
Living Will
Insurance Information

Will going by ambulance ensure that I am seen more rapidly at the hospital?

No. If you call 911 with a minor problem, the triage process at the hospital will prioritize your problem as a low priority regardless of whether you arrive by ambulance or private transportation. Also, for a minor problem you may be able to be seen more rapidly at a walk-in clinic or urgent-care facility. Your family doctor is the most important person to discuss less-than-urgent matters with, and he or she can often speed the processes up if there is a genuine reason to do so.

What should I do if I need to get to the hospital, but I don’t have a car or someone to drive me?

Do not call 911 for non-emergency transportation, use taxi cabs or call a private ambulance listed below or under “Ambulance” in your local telephone directory.

UNH Students: For conditions that are not emergencies but you are not sure treatment can wait until UNH Health Services is open, call UNH Health Services (862-1530) and press 2. You will be automatically connected to the Emergency Room (ER) at WDH where a nurse will conduct a phone assessment, and make suggestions for additional care options, including a possible visit to the ER. Note: this service is available only when school is in session. Additional information is available at UNH Health Services.

Sources:
www.unh.edu/health-services/emergency-care.html
http://www3.acep.org/patients.aspx?id=26018
www.deancare.com/dhs/urgent_care/when_urgent.asp
www.urgentcare.org/UrgentCareDefined/ERvsUrgentCare/tabid/253/Default.aspx
www.sosnet.com/safety/fire.safety/using.911.html
www.virtua.org/page.cfm?nav_id=148#not