Calling 911 for Rx Drug OD

justbishop

Proud Literary Sadist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
1,529
Reaction score
104
Location
Northern NY
Website
www.ashleyheckman.com
What sort of questions would the dispatcher ask? I'd imagine the first would be what happened, followed by inquiring about the person's breathing/vitals, and finally what they took (maybe I just have those in the wrong order)? Would they confirm the address?

In the passage in question, the caller has found the victim unconscious but shaking, having vomited (please advise if that doesn't seem realistic). The caller knows that there was alcohol involved, but isn't sure what Rx drug(s) were taken.

Thanks!
 

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
10,297
Reaction score
3,859
Location
New Hampshire
Call the Greenville Police at 864-467-5222 for their support division, which includes the dispatch center. Explain that you're a writer and what you want to do. I'm presuming that they use the same format most dispatch centers use, where each question is given in a specific order, and the answers to each question leads to other questions. If you want to do it right, that's the best way I know of.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

I survived

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
116
Reaction score
4
od

Soon as you tell them there has been an overdose they will ask if the patient is breathing, conscious, what he took, how many he took They may give you instructions on doing something before the paramedics get there like (if he's conscious) giving syrup of ipecac to make him vomit it up, But don't have them do that until you find out the treatment of an OD of the drug your dealing with because if its an acid that can make things much worse. Look up your OD cause in a poison contro site and you may get some more ideas
 

justbishop

Proud Literary Sadist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
1,529
Reaction score
104
Location
Northern NY
Website
www.ashleyheckman.com
Call the Greenville Police at 864-467-5222 for their support division, which includes the dispatch center. Explain that you're a writer and what you want to do. I'm presuming that they use the same format most dispatch centers use, where each question is given in a specific order, and the answers to each question leads to other questions. If you want to do it right, that's the best way I know of.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Ah, thanks! I guess I hadn't considered that route because I'd feel like I was bugging them, lol!

Soon as you tell them there has been an overdose they will ask if the patient is breathing, conscious, what he took, how many he took They may give you instructions on doing something before the paramedics get there like (if he's conscious) giving syrup of ipecac to make him vomit it up, But don't have them do that until you find out the treatment of an OD of the drug your dealing with because if its an acid that can make things much worse. Look up your OD cause in a poison contro site and you may get some more ideas

Is it bad that I don't know what the character is ODing on (other than something Rx in pill form, taken with massive quantities of liquor)? And my guy is unconscious. Would they still have the caller do something other than report vitals (breathing, heartbeat, etc.), condition, and extent of the knowledge of the substance(s) ingested? My storyline has the caller basically tell the dispatcher these basic things and then put the phone down and walk out...
 
Last edited:

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
3,138
Reaction score
290
Location
New York
The first thing they ask is the caller's name and address of the call. This helps them keep the caller calm and verify the call isn't a prank. Then what happened, etc.

You might want to decide on a drug. It will help with treatment.
 

GradyHendrix

New kid, be gentle!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Messages
157
Reaction score
15
It differs from state-to-state I believe. But like the previous posters said, they will ask name, address, relationship to the victim (to calm you as much as get the info), notify you that help is on the way, then ask questions about victim (conscious? breathing? color of face - red, pale?), and what they took. If you don't know what they took they'll ask you to look around for any medicines or bottles in the immediate area, they'll ask you about victim's pre-existing conditions (allergies? asthma? medications?), they'll ask about drugs or alcohol. They often don't get off the phone with you until the paramedics and cops arrive.

I don't think they ever advise any treatment to someone on the phone. They don't want amateurs messing with someone in distress. If they're vomiting they MAY ask you to roll them on their side. But like I said, I think it varies from state to state.
 

justbishop

Proud Literary Sadist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
1,529
Reaction score
104
Location
Northern NY
Website
www.ashleyheckman.com
Thanks for the reposnses, guys. This is really all that is said about the incident in my WIP. Does it seem authentic, as far as how the call might go up until the point where the caller walks away?

“Yeah, 387 Greer Highway,” his voice was flat over the sound of her sobbing, begging, in the background. “Overdose…barely…bourbon and something prescription, I’m not sure.”

The dispatcher pledged to stay on the line until the ambulance arrived, but he abandoned her first, setting the receiver on the kitchen counter as he walked out the front door, unnoticed.
 

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
10,297
Reaction score
3,859
Location
New Hampshire
Thanks for the reposnses, guys. This is really all that is said about the incident in my WIP. Does it seem authentic, as far as how the call might go up until the point where the caller walks away?

Yep.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

Squirrel on a Ledge

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
88
Reaction score
11
Location
USA (the cold bits)
Hey. I'm new to the boards, but have some knowledge in this area, so I hope I can help!

First of all, I strongly encourage you NOT to call your local PD. Most dispatch centers are woefully understaffed. At mine, there was generally one person on to answer emergency AND non-emergency lines. Plus, they'd give you an earful if you called to ask that. And then they'd gossip about you for the rest of the week.

To the best of my knowledge, most dispatch centers use standardized EMD protocol developed by doctors (liability reasons). Priority Dispatch is the one I know. That being said, without the flash cards or the computer program, it's hard to remember exactly what to say and in what order. This is something you could probably contact the company about (although I believe their protocol is proprietary).

That being said, some rogue dispatchers would just wing it, so whatever you have the dispatcher say is at least possible. That's the stuff lawsuits are made of.

What you've written seems plausible. A reader might just assume you've skipped over the more detailed instructions from the dispatcher.

I don't remember the exact wording or order, but if you want more detail, I think the dispatcher's side of the conversation in this incident would include the following:

911, what is the address of your emergency?
What is the problem?
Is the patient breathing/does the patient have a pulse? (This is one I don't remember exact details on - for some conditions, you immediately start CPR, others you do rescue breathing. You'd think it would be based on whether or not their is a heartbeat, but sometimes it is based on circumstances...weird, I know.)
Is the patient conscious? (If so, have the patient rest comfortably. If not, roll the patient onto his or her side in case of vomiting)
What drug and how much did the patient ingest?

Once they have they've done all they can for the patient, dispatchers will give pre-arrival instructions: lock up pets, make sure the doors are unlocked, have patient's medications handy.

The dispatcher would also try to get the name of the caller, the name of the patient, and the age and gender of the patient whenever it was possible.

edited due to unbearable typo
 
Last edited:

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
10,297
Reaction score
3,859
Location
New Hampshire
First of all, I strongly encourage you NOT to call your local PD. Most dispatch centers are woefully understaffed. At mine, there was generally one person on to answer emergency AND non-emergency lines.

The number I provided was not to the dispatch center, but to the administrative offices. I'll definitely agree that you do not call the dispatcher on duty.

Many police and fire departments have a public affair officer whose job is to provide assistance to the public in understanding police department operations, which includes helping writers get their stories right. New Hampshire has only one 9-1-1 call center, and has no problem with tours and explaining what they do and why they do it. They're well aware of the stress on their callers and want them to understand why they do what they do.

And the twenty questions of doom asked according to the emergency medicine dispatch protocols (rarely exactly twenty questions) drive callers crazy. The callers don't understand that they may receive information that helps keep the patient alive (for example, in a drug overdose, rolling the patient onto their side in some incidences so that they won't choke on their vomit) as well as providing EMS with additional information so that when the EMTs arrive, they can be more focused on resolving the problem.

If your department has problems with this, I feel sorry for them, because good publicity is priceless, and bad publicity bites everybody.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

auriel

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
162
Reaction score
22
Location
Huntsville
Soon as you tell them there has been an overdose they will ask if the patient is breathing, conscious, what he took, how many he took They may give you instructions on doing something before the paramedics get there like (if he's conscious) giving syrup of ipecac to make him vomit it up, But don't have them do that until you find out the treatment of an OD of the drug your dealing with because if its an acid that can make things much worse. Look up your OD cause in a poison contro site and you may get some more ideas

Just wanted to say, the use of syrup of ipecac has fallen out of disuse. Vomiting only clears out the top portion of the stomach, and they usually want to avoid making anyone who is unconscious or semi-unconscious vomit for fear of choking. There are a few other reasons too, but generally no one recommends inducing vomiting anymore.
 

Squirrel on a Ledge

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
88
Reaction score
11
Location
USA (the cold bits)
Many police and fire departments have a public affair officer whose job is to provide assistance to the public in understanding police department operations, which includes helping writers get their stories right.

By all means, if your area has this, go for it! Where I am, we have outreach, but no dedicated phone number, making it all fall on dispatch.

If you do call, my one tip for you is to look out for copyright issues. If you use the exact wording and word order, it might (???) violate the rights of the company that produces it. I know they're very protective, and your local PD probably won't be able to tell you whether using the wording will violate the company's rights.

Good luck on your book! Hope the character makes it through alright