The golden hour : Time is life!

The period within which critical interventions must be performed to optimize a patient’s survival is referred to as the Golden Hour. This period often elapses before these victims are taken to a proper health care?facility. In a majority of these situations, first responders and prehospital care providers i.e., Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics play a very critical role as they are often first on ground.

Upon realization of a medical or an injury emergency, should ensure their own safety and that of the other bystanders as well as that of the casualty whenever possible. Assess the situation by quickly gathering information on what happened, the current condition of the casualty and the help that they may likely need.

Call the Emergency Medical Services hotline available in your area and give detailed information regarding the incident. For easy memory; you can use the acronym 4WCT;

??Who; Introduce yourself

??Where;?Give simple and precise directions using landmarks e.g., Major roads or buildings

??Why;?Explain to the Dispatcher the reason behind the call – What exactly has happened? How many people are involved? What is their current decision?

??What?type of help you need – Specify the exact type of assistance that you need i.e. Do you need an ambulance?

??Confirmation – The dispatcher will ask you a series of questions to help get a clearer picture on the casualty’s condition.

??Time?– The dispatcher will give you the Estimated time of Arrival (ETA) as well as a set of Pre-arrival instructions.

Example:?My name is William, I am currently calling from the Emergency Plus Medical Services premises off Popo Road in South C, directly behind the NEMA Offices. I have one adult Casualty who is unresponsive with breathing. Please send over some medical help. Your team can come in through the first left turn after Bellevue Estate if approaching from Mombasa Road.

Pre-Arrival Instructions (PAIs) are a set of instructions given by the dispatcher over the phone. In a true emergency, our team of Dispatchers ensures that they stay on phone with you while enabling you to perform lifesaving interventions e.g., CPR as you wait for the ambulance crew to arrive. Our team of Emergency Medical Dispatchers work diligently and will guide you through the process; applying principles of Psychosocial First Aid to the callers where need be.

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Remember;

??Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to.

??If in a noisy environment e.g., at the scene of a Motor Vehicle Crash; move away to a less noisy environment to ensure smooth communication.

??Keep your phone as disengaged as possible as you wait for an ambulance to arrive. The dispatchers and ambulance crew might call you later in case they are unable to locate the scene.

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