F A C T S H E E T

When Should You Call 911 for Emergency Medical Services?

Sometimes it’s difficult for employers and employees to determine whether

a medical condition warrants a 911 emergency response.
Consequently, injured or ill workers often end up in hospital emergency rooms
when they could have received safe, cost-effective care in a workplace clinic, via
a telehealth contact center or at a local non-emergency medical facility.
This WorkCare Fact Sheet discusses when to call 911 for first responder,
emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic assistance, what to do
while on a call and what to expect when help arrives.

When to Call 911

A medical services call to 911 or emergency responders at the workplace is
typically made when there is a reason to believe immediate care is needed to
prevent death or serious damage to health. If there is any doubt, health care
professionals recommend calling 911 and letting the dispatcher or an emergency
responder evaluate the situation.
Dispatchers and first responders are trained in advanced first aid,
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external
defibrillators (AEDs). Other skills include critical incident stress management,
domestic violence de-escalation, hazardous materials handling and suicide
intervention.
Thomas Blessing, a WorkCare paramedic and occupational health technician
at a large construction site in Pennsylvania, said he would “much rather get there
and not be needed as opposed to not getting called or being called too late to
make a difference.” He also noted that a 911 call addresses workplace safety and
liability concerns with immediate assessment by professionally trained personnel.
The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends calling 911 if
you can answer any of these questions in the affirmative:

• Is the condition life-threatening?

• Could the condition rapidly worsen on the way to the hospital without
emergency transport?

• If the victim is moved by non-medical professionals, is it likely to increase health

risk or cause further injury?

• Do injured or ill people need the skills and equipment provided by

paramedics or EMTs?
Texting to request emergency services is not yet a common practice in the U.S.
It’s best to call unless texting is the only option.

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F A C T S H E E T // When Should You Call 911 for Emergency Medical Services?

Emergency Medical Conditions

The following are among reasons to call 911 rather than attempt to transport
someone to a hospital or wait to visit a clinic or doctor’s office:

Unresponsive/unconscious Drowning or choking

Difficulty breathing, especially with faintness, Allergic reaction with increased heart rate,
nausea or chest pain difficulty breathing, swollen tongue
Heart attack signs including chest pain, Stroke signs including blurry, double or loss of
squeezing or pressure; pain or discomfort in vision; intense sudden headache; nausea or
the arms, back, neck or jaw; shortness of breath; vomiting; numbness, weakness or dizziness;
and cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness confusion or trouble talking
Extremely hot (hyperthermia ) Sudden, intense severe pain
or cold (hypothermia)
Heavy bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or High fever with lethargy, seizure or complaint
rectum and bleeding from any wound that won’t of a stiff neck (in children)
stop with direct pressure
Broken bones visible through an open wound Threat to commit suicide or hurt someone else
Severe burns and smoke inhalation Poisoning or drug overdose
Pneumonia symptoms such as rapid, labored Chemical exposure symptoms such as
breathing; wheezing or whistling sound while headache; blurred vision; burning eyes, nose,
breathing; gurgling sounds in the throat; throat, chest or skin; sweating; stomach ache
shortness of breath; high fever, confusion or and diarrhea; feeling anxious; difficulty
lethargy; bluish lips or fingernails breathing; feeling faint or weak (Note: Symptoms
may appear immediately or be delayed.)

When Not to Call

It is not recommended to call 911 for sprains and strains that can be
relieved with remedies such as elevation, ice, over-the-counter nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory medications or soft bandages. Minor burns and shallow
cuts can also be self-treated with first aid. Health officials say neck pain, teeth
disorders, hives, pinched nerves, sinus infections, acute upper-respiratory ailments
and eye discomfort are among common reasons for unnecessary
ER visits that are better handled in other settings.
Most cases involving fever, flu and cold symptoms, or food poisoning, while
uncomfortable, can be managed at home with guidance from a nurse or doctor.
While it may appear obvious, other reasons not to call 911 include asking for
driving directions or a traffic or weather report; because you are feeling lonely; you
are trying to pay a traffic ticket; your pet has a medical emergency; or as a prank.

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F A C T S H E E T // When Should You Call 911 for Emergency Medical Services?

While on a 911 Call Impact of

As a caller, it’s important to remain calm. You will be expected to stay on the line Non-Emergency
until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. Expect to be asked: 911 Calls
• What is your name? • What happened? An estimated 240 million calls
• What is your phone number? • Where are you? are made to 911 annually in the
The phone you call from may be used to pinpoint your location. It’s important to be U.S. for all types of situations,
as specific as possible about where you are, especially when calling from a mobile including medical emergencies.
phone instead of a land line. While on the call, the dispatcher may provide care Among cases that involve
instructions until help arrives. transport to a hospital
In general, it’s not safe to move an accident victim with a head, neck or back injury. emergency room (ER),
While waiting for emergency assistance, the American Red Cross recommends the Healthcare Financial
keeping the victim calm, quiet and still by putting your hands on either side of his Management Association
or her head to immobilize it. If the person is in an unsafe place, such as on a busy
estimates the average cost
roadway, he or she may be carefully moved a short distance.
of a visit is $1,265.
If you mistakenly call 911, stay on the line and tell the dispatcher the call was made
in error. Hanging up often triggers a welfare check by law enforcement officers. Massachusetts, which has
undertaken an initiative to
reduce unnecessary ER visits,
What to Do When Help Arrives estimates 39 percent of 2.4
In the workplace, WorkCare paramedics say emergency response personnel will million annual visits in the
evaluate the person’s condition and give advice about the need for transport to a state could have been safely
hospital. A supervisor or other employer representative typically will be present
managed in non-emergent
and informed when there is a decision to transport.
settings. The state’s Health
In non-emergent situations, emergency response personnel may direct an injured Policy Commission projects
or ill employee to the onsite clinic, if there is one, or advise them to be taken by an
the potential to save $351.7
authorized adult in a privately owned vehicle to a medical facility for follow-up.
million over five years by
If an injured or ill employee is advised to be transported to a hospital by educating people about where
ambulance and waives that option, he or she will be asked to sign a document
and when to seek appropriate
verifying that they are acting “against medical advice” (AMA).
care, according to a December
“If it is an emergent situation and they don’t want to go with us, this is okay as 2018 report by the Boston
long as they are alert/oriented, are capable of understanding their decision and
Business Journal.
sign our AMA,” said Katrina Davis, a paramedic and WorkCare clinic manager at a
mining operation in California.
In all cases, it’s important to follow established guidelines and company protocols
when responding to medical emergencies.

Related Resources
1. American College of Emergency Physicians
2. American Red Cross first aid courses
3. International Academies of Emergency Dispatch
4. National Emergency Number Association
5. 911.gov frequently asked questions

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