Carson City certifies all their 9-1-1 personnel to be emergency medical dispatchers (EMD’s). This means that through telephone interrogation, the dispatcher can continuously access patient information which results in selecting appropriate field response for the medical incident. The dispatcher can also provide pre-arrival instructions to the calling party to assist in stabilizing patient condition until paramedics arrive.

What questions will I be asked if I am reporting a medical emergency?
-- What’s the address of the emergency?
-- What’s the phone number you’re calling from?
-- What’s the problem, tell me exactly what happened?
-- Are you with the person now?
-- How old is the person?
-- Is the person conscious?
-- Is the person breathing?
--What is your address?
--What is your phone number?
The dispatcher will ask you to repeat these last two questions to verify accuracy where help is needed.

Additional key questions
Depending on the chief complaint that you are reporting on a medical call, i.e., broken leg, headache, chest pain, etc., the dispatcher will be asking other detailed questions. These questions are related to the nature of the illness or injury. Remain calm the dispatcher's questions are not delaying help. They dispatch fire and EMS services while simultaneously asking clarifying questions. Listen to the questions being asked and try to answer them in a concise and clear tone. Don’t get frustrated, don’t panic, don’t get impatient and just allow the 9-1-1 process to work for you. Remember, help is on the way all while the dispatcher is asking you questions and providing instructions on how to stabilize the patient's condition.