The Nation's Health

Passers-by: Take Note

"Passers by of various ages acting like muppets"

Welcome to the third instalment in the Take Note series. Today we will be examining the good old passer by! I often speak about passers by in my blogs. They have their purpose. Sometimes they are the only hope for some people. They do CPR, they try and comfort, they stem bleeding and they call 999. They also flap and run around like headless chickens but to be fair, i'm sure I would if I didn't do this job! We actively encourage 'hands only' CPR from passers-by and if someone is ill or collapses in front of you then we actively encourage them to call 999. I don't in anyway want to discourage anyone from calling an ambulance. If in doubt, call! However, awfully large amounts of resources are wasted, especially at weekends because of the 'unconscious in street, called by passer-by'. Again, if someone is genuinely unconscious then phone us but just for the record, being asleep is not unconscious. I a vain hope that this blog is read by....well...passers-by, i've compiled a list of things that should aid you in making the decision to call 999 and aiding us in the treatment of the sick, injured, weak, drunk and needy.

  • Don't call 999 and give the wrong location. Unhelpful.
  • Don't call 999 because you saw someone in the distance fall over.
  • Don't call 999 because you think you drove past someone unconscious.
  • Don't call 999 for someone at a bus stop. They are drunk. (OK, check first!)
  • Don't call 999 if the patient is telling you not to.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't assume that all tramps are dead. They are not. They just smell.
  • Don't assume all drunk people are dead. They are not. They are drunk.
  • Don't assume someone lying on the floor has collapsed.
  • Don't do CPR on someone who is shouting at you.
  • Don't say someone isn't breathing and then say you can't stay on scene.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't take photos of us.
  • Don't film us.
  • Don't tell us you're a Dr unless you are Trauma consultant or A & E Doctor.
  • Don't tell us you're a GP. I hear Generally Pants.
  • Don't tell us you're a nurse who can cannulate. We won't let you.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't run into the road to flag us down. We probably won't see you in time.
  • Don't repeat 'Oh my god' over and over again while we do CPR.
  • Don't stop CPR as soon as you see the ambulance.
  • Don't follow us into the ambulance if you are not a relative.
  • Don't stop and watch if you are just wondering by.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't say 'It's like Street Crime UK'. It isn't. We are not the police.
  • Don't tell us a drunk can't walk. They can. Just not un-aided.
  • Don't open a closed ambulance door. Ever.
  • Don't tell me my ambulance is blocking the road.
  • Don't ask me to move my ambulance because it is blocking the road.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't ask me 'Are they going to die'.
  • Don't ask me what is wrong with them? Mainly because I don't know.
  • Don't phone your friends and give them a commentary of what's happening.
  • Don't exaggerate to make it sound better.
  • Don't start a sentence with 'Don't you need to.....'
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't tell me they need something for the pain. I'll be the judge.
  • Don't try and help us lift unless we ask YOU specifically.
  • Don't heckle.
  • Don't stand too close. In fact, don't stand. Keep walking.
  • Don't judge me when I stop CPR. I've done so on sound medical grounds.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't get in my way.
  • Don't go out of your way to peer in to the back of the ambulance.
  • Don't tell the call taker the patient isn't breathing unless you have checked.
  • Don't tell the call taker anything that you don't know.
  • Don't laugh at us.
  • Don't call 999 and leave before we arrive.
  • Don't call us names.
  • Do call 999 us if someone ISN'T breathing.
  • Do call 999 if someone is fitting.
  • Do call 999 if someone is struggling to breath.
  • Do call 999 is someone is hit by a car.
  • Do call 999 if someone has chest pain.
  • Do call 999 if someone is hit by a train.
  • Do call 999 if someone is bleeding heavily.
  • Do call 999 if someone is a risk to you, the public or themselves.
  • Do call 999 if someone is unconscious but please check first.
  • Do call 999 if you are in doubt. Jokes aside.
  • Do tell the call taker if the patient is being aggressive. Then run away.
  • Do tell the call taker if the patient has a weapon. Then run away
  • Do tell the call taker if there is more than one patient.
  • Do tell the call taker all the FACTS you have. No conjecture please.
  • Do RUN when we RUN. Trust me.

Finally, make sure you ask the patient if they need an ambulance. They may well say no and just because their eyes are shut, doesn't mean they are asleep, unconscious or dead. On behalf of all EMS i'd like to thank you for all the help you do give us and all the lives you save. We do appreciate it and are merely trying to educate the muppets who make things difficult!

Click the Take Note photo at the top to see the other posts in the series!