Audrée

Here is the path of a 911 call for a medical problem:

A dispatcher receives a call in his or her headset and information appears on the screen using an address validation system. We ask the caller some questions to understand the problem. Following these protocols, the caller is guided through the process, and is instructed on what to do while waiting for the ambulance.

Depending on the problem, the caller is assigned a priority rank. In the computer, a call card is then created. This call card contains all the important information (e.g., address, age of the injured person, priority of the call, and main problem). This call card is transmitted to a person in the ambulance service. This person assigs an ambulance to the call, using a GPS system.

We locate the nearest available ambulance and send the call card to the ambulance computer. The paramedics proceed to the call site. On the way, they prepare themselves according to the information they have received. This computerized route can sometimes have problems. For example, sometimes the computers are not working. In this case, the whole process must be done using paper. So calls are handwritten and hand delivered to dispatch.  Instead of being sent out using electronic means, the call is sent over the radio waves. 

This whole process requires good communication between colleagues, since for each call, at least 5 people are involved. In places like Montreal, you must also be bilingual because both English and French are used. To do this work, knowledge of health sciences allows you to understand the situations and to adequately help the callers. You must also be able to use maps in order to locate ambulances when GPS systems are not available.