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Calling 911 during an emergency can be scary. It is important to deliver a clear message to the 911 telecommunicator and the local emergency dispatcher. First responders need accurate information about an emergency, so they can respond with the correct resources as quickly as possible. Rhode Islanders should know that the Rhode Island E-9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System has made recent significant technological advancements aimed to improve rapid and effective patient care.

Since 1973, 911 has been the universal emergency telephone number designed to give citizens an easy-to-remember phone number for police, fire or medical emergencies. By dialing just three numbers, 911, you can be connected to a trained professional who can route your call to the appropriate agency.

According to the National Emergency Number Association, 240 million 911 calls are placed each year in the United States. Recent data from the association reports that Rhode Island 911 telecommunicators answered nearly 464,000 of those emergency calls.

Rhode Island is one of two states that use the Enhanced 911 Uniform Emergency Telephone System (E-911). E-911 provides 24 hour, statewide emergency public safety communications services from one communication center located in North Scituate. The enhanced 911 system also identifies the location of landline, or wireline calls, making it unnecessary for a wireline caller to verbally communicate an address. E-911 calls are transferred instantaneously to the appropriate agency for response.

Rhode Island E-911 telecommunicators are now trained to engage callers immediately when they make the 911 call, and to keep them engaged in the reporting until the arrival of first responders. E-911 telecommunicators are using a new system called Emergency Medical Dispatch, or EMD. This new system started in Rhode Island on July 26, 2022 and is utilized in more than 3,500 emergency call centers worldwide.

EMD allows trained 911 telecommunicators to use advanced telephone and computer technologies to process all 911 police, fire, and medical calls originating within the State of Rhode Island. EMD is a structured, systematic way of rapidly processing medical 911 calls to ensure that the best patient care is provided to every Rhode Islander. The trained 911 telecommunicator uses a software-based decision support tool called ProQA to ask appropriate questions and provide medically correct care before responders arrive.

At the beginning of each call, the 911 telecommunicator will ask callers to “Tell me exactly what happened” to understand very clearly what the emergency is. Instead of asking callers what they think is wrong, the telecommunicator will ask questions that are clear and objective, such as what symptoms the patient is having, or exactly how someone got injured. Every situation is different, so the telecommunicator will ask different questions and provide different instructions based on the unique needs of the emergency.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety, there are a few things that callers can do if they need emergency help. It is important for the caller to listen carefully to the telecommunicator’s questions and instructions, and to speak slowly and clearly when answering. There is a protocol for every type of medical emergency so callers should answer questions as best as possible so the patient can be helped. Officials suggest that if you do not know the answer to the question, simply inform the 911 telecommunicator that you do not know. The telecommunicator will be able to provide step-by-step pre-arrival instructions to the caller for critical situations such as CPR, choking, childbirth, bleeding, allergic reaction, opiate overdose and many other emergencies.

There are some types of medical calls in which the 911 telecommunicator will attempt to stay on the line with the caller until rescue arrives. This is because the patient needs to be monitored or provided with pre-arrival instructions.

With this new system, when a 911 call is placed, the 911 telecommunicators will converse early in the call with local dispatchers to share a brief summary of the incident, including the essential patient information, the type of emergency, and whether the patient is awake and breathing. Once the 911 telecommunicator has relayed that information to the local dispatcher, 911 will continue to ask the caller for important information about the patient so that pre-arrival care can be provided.

The “first” first responders are the 911 telecommunicators and local dispatchers. In any medical event, an EMD protocol helps telecommunicators enhance patient outcomes, save lives, and provide consistent care to all Rhode Islanders and visitors. The first few minutes of a medical emergency are often the most critical, and now the telecommunicator has an opportunity to provide care while first responders are on the way.

For more information about Rhode Island’s E-911 and Emergency Medical Dispatch, visit www.ri911.ri.gov or you can contact Westerly Dispatch at 401-596-4375. Westerly Dispatch is the largest regional dispatch center in Rhode Island, and it provides EMS and Fire dispatch communications for five towns in Southern Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut. These towns have 10 fire departments and 4 ambulance services. Westerly Dispatch is responsible for about 142 square miles of land and 62 square miles of water.

This column was written by Jane Perkins, fire safety specialist for the Rhode Island Southern Firefighters League and captain of the Watch Hill Fire Department. If you would like to see a question answered in this column, please e-mail her at askafirefighter@yahoo.com.

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