I called for an ambulance and now the dispatcher is asking me lots of questions. Why?

If you’ve called 911 for a medical emergency, you know that things are handled a little differently now then they used to be. Since 2004, Public Safety Answering Points, such as Windsor’s, that receive 911 calls have provided Emergency Medical Dispatch, or EMD to the caller. EMD was designed by emergency room physicians to provide every medical emergency with the best possible response, to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient and the emergency responders.

During EMD, the dispatcher follows a medically prepared list of questions. The answers to the questions let the responders know exactly how the medical emergency must be handled. Through EMD, the dispatcher can also give direction to the caller on how to best assist the patient until emergency medical services arrive on scene.

For first time callers, it seems odd to have to stay on the phone and answer questions. But answering the questions as quickly and clearly as possible is the best and most efficient way to get the correct and most prepared medical response to your door in as short a time as possible. Your patience with the EMD system will be well-rewarded and you can be assured that you did everything you could to get the patient the best available care.

Calls Emergency Dispatchers Have Had to Handle (items with * are calls Windsor's dispatchers have received, among others!)

• People calling to ask for the time of day*
• People insisting that the police department do something to get a pro sports team to locate nearby
• Individual called to say her husband refused to eat his dinner because he didn't like it
• Customers who are calling to complain about their cell phones not working
• During an outage, a woman called to ask when the power would be restored because she had a cake in the oven*
• Requests for a taxi or other kind of transportation
• To inquire about tomorrow's weather forecast
• Someone called to say he/she had accidentally handcuffed themselves and lost the key*
• Someone left a life size doll in a motor vehicle and called 911 to report a suspicious person*
• People calling to say that their pets are sick
• Wild turkey chasing her cat*
• Called 911 because there was a deer in her backyard*
• Please send an officer because my neighbor is baking a cake and I can't stand the smell of almonds*
• People needing directions to somewhere
• Customer at McDonald's called to complain that she received the wrong order at the drive-thru*
• Asking for the score of a ballgame

Have you ever called Windsor 911? Please share your experience or ask any questions you may have in the comments section by clicking "view topic" below.

Please be mindful of people’s privacy by not personally identifying names or private addresses when sharing your experience.