When to Call for an East Meadow Fire Department Ambulance

The East Meadow Volunteer Fire Department provides a number of vital services to the community including fire protection, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS). The EMFD’s EMS is performed by New York State-certified emergency medical technicians, or EMTs and is one of the busiest companies in the fire department. The requests for ambulance service continue to rise due to a number of factors, including an aging population, the development of many new housing units throughout the community that are restricted to older adults, generally age 55 and up, and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

The issue of increased requests for ambulance services is part of a growing national concern about how misusing ambulances and emergency rooms places significant stress on emergency medical services, which, in turn, may end up jeopardizing patient care in the event of a true life-threatening medical emergency.

A survey cited by the website WebMD found that one in three people don’t understand the type of medical conditions that warrants a call for an ambulance. Certain non-life-threatening medical conditions that were noted in the study that did not require emergency ambulance transportation included an individual with chronic back pain who had run out of painkillers; a woman in the early stages of giving birth; and a toddler with a Lego piece stuck in his nose. Most often, these kinds of medical issues can be treated in a hospital emergency room or emergency walk-in clinic commonly found in many communities, and can be reached by private automobile, taxi, or public transportation.

An ambulance and trained EMS crew attending to non-life-threatening situations like the examples given above may not be available in the event of a truly life-threatening medical emergency — one in which prompt medical intervention may mean the difference between life and death. Medical experts advise that if you’re not sure whether an ambulance is truly needed, it’s better to call 911, or the EMFD dispatcher (516-542-0576) and let them decide on the appropriate response.

An ambulance is most likely necessary when:

• A person’s condition is potentially life-threatening and is experiencing chest pains, difficulty breathing, sudden confusion or an altered mental status are symptoms that may indicate a heart attack, stroke, or related conditions, and needs immediate medical attention.
• An individual is choking and needs abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) or back blows, or if their heart has stopped, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required.
• If moving someone who is injured patient may cause further harm or injury. Examples include injuries from a motor vehicle accident, a fall or other type of trauma.
• If you cannot get the patient (or yourself if you are the patient) to the emergency room due to a fall, injury, or weakness, or if you’re too weak to get up on your own, or if you are unsteady on your feet. In these instances, getting behind the wheel of an automobile is dangerous.

“The East Meadow Fire Department ambulances provides residents and visitors with top-quality emergency medical services and transportation to local hospitals for a number of life-threating conditions including heart attacks, strokes, injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents, and other serious injuries,” says Commissioner Carey A. Welt. “EMFD’s highly trained, state certified EMTs will usually begin emergency medical treatment upon arrival at the scene, and will continue administering care during transport to the hospital, often in consultation with an emergency room physician. Rest assured that our dedicated volunteers stand ready, around the clock, to respond to medical emergencies when needed.”

The East Meadow Fire Department, which covers East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury (Salisbury), is always looking for new members to join their ranks as firefighters or emergency medical personnel; no experience is necessary. The fire department provides the training required. There are numerous benefits associated with volunteering, including tax breaks, college scholarships, annual health checkups, life insurance, and a service award pension program, all at no cost. For more information on volunteering with the East Meadow Fire Department, visit www.eastmeadowfd.com, or call 516-542-4565.