Ex ambulance 999 handler AMA

[Ollivander84]

Also a carer so you can AMA on that!

[Ollivander84]

IHave - YES and all colleagues as well! We used to rant it showed it unrealistically

[Ollivander84]

NC - yes, 57 babies born safely

[phlewf]

60% of all calls! That’s ridiculous. They sound be made to explain in writing what they were thinking.
Nothing to ask, just wanted to apologise for my dm. It wasn’t you she spoke to when she called 999 for my ds but someone like you. She genuinely doesn’t understand the “questions that have to be asked scenario”. I’m sorry she was horrible, she was stressed but it’s not excuse.

[Ollivander84]

phlewf - standard water off a ducks back!

I would say 60% because the thing is, it's do you have a LIFE threatening emergency?
So does a broken finger/toe, abdo pain that's been there a week, headache, cut to head, fallen over but can get up etc etc need an ambulance? Some people need OOH, and some need transport but not necessarily an ambulance. It's a conundrum

[Bagadverts]

I fell in a shower after an epileptic fit and broke my ankle. I called an ambulance. The handler explained that some of the calls were routine and might not be relavent to my situation which was fine and I answered them all and didn't query any at the time.
I'm just curious how one of the calls could be related to any circumstances, maybe you know -
"While you were having the epileptic fit could you reach either arm above your head?"

(I told her I wasn't trying to raise either arm when I got the slight warning of the seizure. I then lost consciousness which she already knew from previous answers)

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Ha, I rant about it every time.
Why are they not making them repeat their date of birth 3 times and look for mirrors to check swollen lips!

[Ollivander84]

Bag - have to say it's not a question I've ever heard of! I can only think it's possibly relating to sometimes when a stroke can look like a fit

[NCPuffin]

Wow - 57! Did they all deliver before the ambulance arrived? Over what time span was this and how large an area do you cover? It just sounds like an awful lot, especially as all pregnancy books etc go to great lengths to stress how unlikely you are to deliver without medical support!

[Ollivander84]

NC - yes that's just the ones that delivered before. Over a decade and an area of around 5700sq miles

[tearsofrobertsmith]

That sounds like such a big area, are you Highlands and Islands? A friend’s husband was a handler there and geographically it is such a massive are to control. What an amazing job you all do/did. Thank you.

[Paie]

Another poster with great admiration for your job and I like to think it's the type of thing I'd love to do!
How did you get into it/ what qualifications did you need or did they provide all training from any stage?

[Ollivander84]

tears - no, another area!

Paie- I saw it and applied, no special qualifications needed but had to pass a typing and listening test as well as standard GCSEs etc and then all training provided

[NCPuffin]

OK, that's roughly one every two months over a big area - feeling slightly reassured now We're a five minute drive from the hospital so I should be OK, really

[SealSong]

Band 3! That's a terribly low wage for the amazing work you and your colleagues do. Thank you

[Bloodyhell2018]

If you have a call for a peri arrest child or similar, do you find it better not knowing the outcome in hospital, or would you prefer the crew to ring up and let you know or the shift manager to follow it up for you? I just can't imagine not knowing one way or the other.

As a paramedic I went to a teenager traumatic cardiac arrest and two strangers were doing CPR with their phone on loudspeaker and the call taker counting the compressions in the background, and I just thought that being part of that without being able to see or physically do anything and then not knowing for certain the final outcome (death declared in a&e) would be utterly horrendous.

[Ollivander84]

Bloody - it can be one of the hardest things, you hear everything but see nothing. TBH dispatch are pretty good and will let you know the outcome of anything you ask for

[Ollivander84]

To add I once helped with a woman in labour who didn't know she was pregnant. The crew arrived and I heard panic and shouts for a second crew. Baby was 26 weeks it turned out. About 10 minutes later I got a call saying the baby is pink and breathing on his own and I've never felt so relieved

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

What is the most stupid ‘reason’ for calling an ambulance that you have either taken yourself or heard of from colleagues?

Also, do you need to have a good working knowledge of the area you are covering, so you can easily pinpoint which crew to send, or do you get help from the computer?

Thanks!

[Ollivander84]

SDGT - with areas you tended to find that we had knowledge of different ones so you could get help from someone else, but you narrow it down by questions and using the mapping system

Stupid reason... probably a guy who had sex with a woman, the condom broke and he wanted to see if he had an STI

[FuzzyCustard]

I called an ambulance for my DH on Christmas day (blood cancer - possible neutropenic sepsis, as explained) and was asked twice by the dispatcher "Is he going to die in the next five minutes?". Why on earth would I be asked such an insensitive question? Especially since an ambulance can't get to us within 20 mins (rural).

(I have had to call 999 four times for him and tis was the only time the dispatcher was anything but professional and kind)

[Ollivander84]

Fuzzy - absolutely no idea on that, it's definitely not on the triage I was used to! But different areas do use different triage systems but even so it's a bit... baffling

[Toddlerteaplease]

Can't believe it's only a band 3. I thought it would be at least a 5/6.

[PeppaGeorgeBabyAlexander]

Not sure whether this thread is still active.

Can you tell me the most important information you need when taking the call, I can only think of location? what's wrong? Are they breathing?

I'm curious as the documentaries don't give the call handlers much air time, I'm guessing there's more that goes on behind the scenes.

[YesQueen]

@PeppaGeorgeBabyAlexander still here
Location, location, location!
Breathing/conscious
Injuries or symptoms (briefly!)
Medical history - only as in "they're having chest pains and they've had 5 heart attacks before" as opposed to "she's 72, and she had stitches she 6"
Mostly listen to what you are being asked and follow the advice

[PeppaGeorgeBabyAlexander]

Thank you for the swift reply. My best friend has an assessment centre coming up shortly so will pass on the information! I think it may be for a 111 ambulance role if that's the same kinda thing!

Thank you for all your hard work while being in the service.