EMS Links

Fannin County's EMS personnel are based at three of the area fire stations. They respond to approximately 3,400 calls each year and provide training classes in first response and CPR. They are also cross trained as fire fighters. Their mission is to provide the best quality of care for the citizens of Fannin County.

In today's society people give little thought to what they would do in case of an emergency. If asked, most people would automatically say, call 911. But have you ever stopped to think, what if there was no 911 and no emergency services? It would be rather terrifying to think that you or someone you know could be involved in an accident, or be having a heart attack and there was no one to call for help.

Emergency Medical Services, or EMS for short, not only provide an actual service, they also provide something often taken for granted, a certain peace of mind. While they are merely humans who have chosen to make a career out of helping people in need, there is something almost angelical about seeing them pull up when there is an emergency. It is a sense of relief that can be felt by all, no matter how serious the situation.

They do a job that requires split second decisions in often extreme situations. A job that most of us would not want to be responsible for. They see people at their very worst, and things that would harden even the kindest of hearts. Yet they do the job for very little pay and mostly with very little praise. So perhaps in a way they are angels, and aren't we glad that angels of this type really do exist!

Health and Safety Tips

PLEASE: Pull Over to the side of the road when you hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching. Each year we lose an inexcusable number of Emergency Response Personnel to senseless accidents that could have been prevented if people would just move over. Help to keep our EMS and their patients safe. Remember it could be someone you love in the back of that ambulance and every minute counts.

Heart Attack

Pre-existing heart disease is a common cause of cardiac arrest, however, many victims have no known heart problems. 50 percent of men and 63 percent of women who experience arrest due to coronary heart disease (blockage of blood vessels) have no prior symptoms according to the American Heart Association.

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack:
Chest pain
Pain in jaw, arm or neck
Sweaty/cool clammy skin
Shortness of breath (Please remember that not everyone who has a heart attack experiences chest pain.
Any one or combination of these symptoms could indicate a heart attack.
So don't wait until you are having all of these to call, or it may be to late.)

Call 911
If you experience signs or symptoms of a heart attack, the earlier you receive medical attention the better. The pain you feel is the heart telling you that it is not getting the needed oxygen it needs to function. The heart muscle is being damaged because of a lack of oxygen due to an obstruction. The faster you get medical treatment, the smaller the amount of damage that will have been done. Also you should lie or sit calmly if experiencing these symptoms until help arrives. The more you move the harder your heart has to work and this can make the problem worse.

Things to tell EMS when they arrive:
How long ago did the pain start?
What were you doing at the time it started?
Does anything relieve the pain?
Have you ever experienced this before?
Are you on any medications?
Do you have any allergies?

Stroke

Even if you think that it is "only a mini-stroke" you should call for the ambulance.
Keep the patient still and comfortable, and be prepared to turn them on their side if saliva starts to pool in their mouth.

Weakness on one or both sides of the body
Numbness or decreased sensation on one side of the body
Aphasia ( Inability to speak)
Confusion or coma
Convulsions
Incontinence (loss of bowel or bladder control)
Double vision
Numbness in the face
Dysarthria ( Slurred speech)
Headache
Dizziness

As with the heart attack, be prepared to let EMS know of any medication the person is taking, and what they were doing at the time it began. Also what changes you may have noticed since the onset, and of any medical history they might have.

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