911, Ambulance Rides and New Yorkers Everywhere
In the 1980’s 911 was instituted to help EMS and Police
respond faster to emergencies within New York State. If you have ever needed to
call 911, you know what a relief it is when the ambulance or police show up to
help. If you have ever needed a ride in an ambulance, you know what an amazing
portable emergency room that vehicle is.
I have had to have two rides in the ambulance. The first was
at 17 when I was rear-ended and my knee was slammed into the dashboard. The
pain from the injury was intensive, but as the EMT on duty stabilized my leg
and got me onto the stretcher, the pain was already lessening from the added
support. As I arrived at the hospital, pain meds were immediately available and
care was started quickly.
The second time was a life threatening event. I had an
allergic reaction to the medication I was taking to prevent asthma attacks and
it sent me into the worst asthma attack I ever had. My boss called 911 after
watching me struggle to breathe for 20 minutes. There was a huge sense of relief
when the EMTs arrived with oxygen and the nebulizer treatment. Three treatments
in the ambulance and 4 more in the emergency room finally cleared my lungs. I
would not have survived that day if the ambulance had not carried the life
saving nebulizer treatments on board. I would have passed away had I chosen to
drive myself or had someone else drive me the 30 minutes to the hospital.
I am glad that we live in a state that sends an ambulance to
help with a simple call to 911. Appropriate life supporting care is given
quickly and confidently as well as a ride to the hospital. Emergency personal
within the hospital can be prepared for your arrival with whatever medications,
tests, and screenings they need to do because the EMT on the ambulance has
prepared them for you.
Unfortunately, there is one group of New Yorkers who do not
have access to 911. Those living in group homes for the developmentally
disabled are not given access to this crucial service. Instead the staff that care for them are asked
to call the company nurse or on call doctor. While this may be fine for a cold
or a cut on the hand, to not call 911 in a more severe emergency leaves these
New Yorkers in pain and risks their lives. Nurses, even those on site, do not
have access to all the medical supplies and life saving treatments that are
carried on an ambulance. Think back to the last time you called a doctor’s office. The
first thing that the automated message
said was “if this is an emergency, hang up and call 911.” There is nothing more an on call doctor can do
in a medical emergency for the developmentally disabled than they can do for
us. Yet still the staff are instructed to call staff nurses and doctors instead
of 911 in an emergency.
In fact, over 75% of untimely deaths within group homes can
be attributed to not calling 911. This is unacceptable for the 1 million New
Yorkers in state and private care. Please help Health Literacy for All Inc and
the Jonathan Carey Foundation address this issue by asking your senator and
assemblyman to pass the 911 Bill (S4736-Lanza/ A6830-Weprin). While we
currently have over 75% support for the bill in both houses, it is not being
brought to the floor for a vote. The legislator finishes for the year in June
and if this bill is not brought to the floor and voted on by then, it will be
2019 before this can be voted on. Please don’t leave our most vulnerable unable
to access emergency care for another year.
If you are not sure who your legislators are or
how to contact them, you can find your assemblyman listed at http://nyassembly.gov/mem/
or for your senator at https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
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