When do Paramedics utilize the emergency vehicles lights and siren?
A. The time saved navigating traffic using lights and sirens can be essential, but, due to the high risk involved with using lights and siren, only life-threatening conditions are dispatched or transported in this manner. The type of response is initially determined by medical dispatchers utilizing an internationally recognized Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) program called ProQA. ProQA guides the dispatcher through a series of questions to ask about the patients condition. The answers to these questions then determine the response priority of the ambulance. This system also provides the dispatcher with life-saving pre-arrival instructions to give the person calling 911. Dispatchers can guide callers through providing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, bleeding control, child birth and care for someone having a heart attack among other things. EMD is truly the first, first responder to respond to a persons medical needs.
