Emergencies can happen at any time. And calling 911 can be a stressful thought to some. That’s why it’s best to always be prepared.
Glen Runge, 59, previously worked as a police officer and now works as a full-time emergency dispatcher. As a dispatcher, he stresses how important it is to get the right information right away so that it can be dispatched to the required services as soon as possible.
“I verify their name, address, what’s the main complaint or problem going on. When Covid happened, we would ask about their Covid status so that our officers and medical services could be prepared,” Runge said.
Speaking as an ex-police officer, Runge said officers respond to anything and never know what the next call will be, a major crime scene, a first aid call, fire call, or just a general call for assistance. Once he would arrive at the scene and find the caller, he would ask what’s going on and then he’d ask more specific questions to get some more details.
Runge’s last word of wisdom for an anxious caller is, “Don’t be afraid or standoffish to the police or the first-responders. The questions they’re asking are for your benefit, not just to be nosey. But it’s to help them give you care.”
Medical emergencies specifically can be very stressful. Andrew D’Amore, a 31-year-old supervisor of security and emergency services, has been an emergency medical technician for almost 10 years now. He both dispatches emergency services and responds to emergencies himself.
During his time as an EMT, he has experienced hundreds, maybe thousands, of medical calls. He was gracious enough to shed some light on how to prepare yourself for an ambulance to arrive.
“We always require medical history, allergies, and medications. It is helpful if they already have a list of these things written down for us,” D’Amore said. “It also makes it so much easier for us when the patient has medical documents prepared for us, such as a DNR or advance directives.”
Brookdale has a system set up for emergencies. At the Lincroft campus, there are 21 white emergency push-button call towers. They can be identified by their blue lights. As a Brookdale student, you never know if an emergency, medical or otherwise, could happen on or off campus, so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.