Tag Archives: Fire Department

Common Features of an Emergency Response System

Posted on by
1
emergency12 Common Features of an Emergency Response System


An emergency response system or sometimes Personal Emergency Response system is a simple electronic gadget that is intended to make it possible to get help in an emergency situation. It is particularly intended to provide protection and quick response to a senior citizen living alone or to a disabled person. The Personal Emergency Response system is also called a Medical Emergency Response System.

The Personal Emergency Response system is intended for use by a person living alone or one who is not able to get around physically. In an emergency situation where the person has fallen and is not able to get up, help can be summoned by pressing a help button that is worn on the person. Other people who make good use of the Personal Emergency Response System are those who have medical conditions such as diabetes where there is a danger of falling into a coma. The help button may never been needed, but family members of an elderly individual get peace of mind when they know their loved one will have emergency help quickly if needed.

A Medical Emergency Response system is made up of three components: the radio transmitter that is worn or carried by the user at all times, a connection through a console at the telephone, and the center for emergency call monitoring.

The Personal Emergency Response system is put into operation when the user needs emergency help, such as the police, fire department or in the event of a medical emergency. The system user presses the help button on the transmitter, which automatically emits a radio signal that is picked up by the console. The console is pre- programmed to dial one or more telephone numbers that are selected by the user. For example, if an elderly person has fallen and injured a hip so that they can’t arise, the user would press the help button. The emergency response number would be dialed in many instances. This usually can be done even if the telephone handset is off the hook or in use. Some systems have information about medical history at the call center so that they would contact an adult child or a spouse.

If the center staff can’t determine what the nature of the emergency is, they will send a response team to the location and will continue to monitor the response until the emergency situation is resolved.

Transmitter

The transmitter unit is light weight and operated by battery power that must be recharged or replaced periodically. Checking the batteries regularly helps to insure that they remain operational. The transmitter has one or two buttons for calling help. The transmitter is worn on a wrist band or around the neck on a chain. They can be attached to a belt, or simply carried in the pocket. Some transmitter units reflect low batteries by means of a battery level indicator.

Dialer

The console or automatic dialing machine picks up the radio signal from the transmitter and send the alert through the private telephone line system. In the event of a telephone system with more than one extension, some special wiring or jacks may be required in order to grab the line.

Emergency Response Center

The console dials into one of two different types of emergency response centers. Manufacturer based centers usually have only one operation center nationwide. Provider based systems are found locally. They are often run by social service agencies or by regional hospitals. Because users often have the choice of renting the Personal Emergency Response System or purchasing their equipment it usually makes the difference whether the local center is available to the consumer. Equipment leased from the manufacturer is usually part of single nationwide center. Occasionally, the user can choose which type of system he prefers–manufacturer based or provider based.

Customers sometimes choose to buy the equipment but the majority rent Since most insurance companies won’t pay for either the daily monitoring, the equipment or the installation of the unit. A purchased unit will run anywhere from $200 up to $5,000. The installation fee and monitoring fee will cost an additional amount. When the PERS unit is rented, the monthly fee usually includes the monitoring service. Typically, rentals or leased units are handles through hospitals, social service agencies, home health providers or other businesses.



How to Prepare for a Local Emergency

Posted on by
Reply
emergency2 How to Prepare for a Local Emergency


Emergencies can range from severe weather to a terrorist attack. Interestingly enough, most emergencies require the same basic steps to get you and your family through them safely. The best way to remain safe is to take steps early so that you and your family are prepared in the event of an emergency. The first step in prevention is in knowing the danger. Depending on the area of the country in which you live, you may be at risk of flooding, tornadoes or hurricanes. Contact your local fire department or Red Cross office to find out if your town has any sort of emergency communication system.

Be Prepared

Once you know what to expect, it’s time to be prepared. Have a list of emergency phone numbers posted by each telephone, and make sure that your children know how, and why to dial 9-1-1. Make a plan with all of the members of your family about where they should go in case of emergency. It is important to designate two different meeting areas. The first, such as a neighbor’s home, is the ideal meeting place, but you should set up another meeting place, such as a family member’s house, where you will meet if it is impossible for you to return home. It is important to know what the emergency plans at your children’s schools are as well. Will they shelter the children at the school? Send the children home? Attempt to call? In an emergency, the school’s phone lines will be busy with concerned parents, and you cannot count on getting through to your child. Know what the school’s emergency policy is and then discuss it with your child.

Teach everyone in your family how to turn off the gas and water to your home. This is important, particularly if you have school age children who may be home alone while you are at work. Make sure that they can recognize the smell of natural gas as well, and know to leave the area immediately and call the fire department if they smell it.

Prepare a first aid kit for your family, which includes basic first aid supplies such as antibiotic ointment and adhesive bandages, but also includes a week or two worth of any prescription medications, as well as any emergency medications, such as epi-pens or inhalers that anyone in your family may require. Your physician should be willing to write you an extra prescription for most drugs, or they may even provide samples to cover this time frame.

In addition to the first aid kit, you should also have bottled water and non-perishable food items stored. After an emergency, getting to a grocery store can be difficult, and even if you can get there, there may be no food, the store may not be opened, or they may not be able to accept checks or credit cards. One week’s supply of nonperishable food, along with several gallons of water, some emergency cash, a flashlight and extra toiletries can make any emergency less of a problem.

When preparing for a local emergency, you may want to consider taking a first aid and CPR class. These classes provide you with the training necessary to perform potentially life saving duties at a time when police, firefighters and paramedics may be hard to find.

To truly be prepared in the case of an emergency, it is important to have a plan for all family members. This means your pets. If you are evacuated to an emergency shelter, your pet will not be permitted to enter. It is important to have a plan in place for what to do with your pet if you must leave him behind. Some ideas are boarding at a veterinary hospital, leaving him in your home with plenty of food and water and packing him up and driving far enough away to be out of danger and staying in a hotel room. Regardless of how you decide to deal with your pet, make sure that he has well secured identification tags, with your home and cell phone number on them.

When an Emergency Strikes

Hopefully, all of your precautions will prove to be needless, and your family will never experience an emergency. If an emergency does strike, it is important to remain calm and develop a plan. If the entire family is together, your job will be much easier. Call an out of town family member and let them know what is going on. If you need to meet up with other family members, head to your designated meeting spot. Depending on how comfortable you are with your situation and the type of emergency it is, you may want to check on any elderly or disabled neighbors that you have. Once your family is reunited, you can return home if it is safe, or head to the local emergency shelter if necessary. Whatever your decision, it will be much easier because of the time that you spent preparing for this emergency.



Emergency: A matter of life and death

Posted on by
Reply
emergency6 Emergency: A matter of life and death


During emergencies, everyone’s health and safety is at stake. Although there are various programs and government agencies that offers support and assistance in times of emergencies.

It is important for us to be aware and responsible for certain response and actions, so that we may take full control over the events and unexpected emergencies that may arise anytime and anywhere.

Know the key points and the things you should do when emergency strikes. Here are some tips given by emergency experts that will be of effective protection for possible recovery strategies.

1. Keep a list of contacts who can assist you and be of great help in case of emergency. You may want to post them on the refrigerator, your bedside table, near the phone or anywhere accessible to anyone.

Include members of doctors, neighbors, police department, fire department, and so on. And be sure that their numbers are updated and is a direct line.

2. Locate the nearest emergency department. It is important for you and your family members to know where to run first in times of emergency, and the easiest most accessible route to get there.

3. Check on fire exits and the quickest routes out. It is also important to keep an emergency kit or provide for emergency cabinet where all the things you’ll be needing for an emergency will be there, like fire extinguishers, fire proof cloth, etc…

4. Know the location of the nearest hospitals, clinics, police station, fire station, etc… and their quickest route.

5. Know what type of emergency needs the help of an ambulance. Usually, an ambulance’ help and assistance is needed when: 5.1 there is no adult present in the situation and moving the victim would cause him or her more injury. 5.2 someone’s condition is in a near-death situation 5.3 the victim’s injury is life-threatening 5.4 no vehicle or other way of transportation is available to bring the victim and the hospitals or other emergency departments are way unaccessible. 5.5 the emergency situation calls for medical attention and use of the tools of paramedics 5.6 the victim’s condition is risky and calls for the need for hospitalization.

6. Upon getting to the emergency room, remember that the doctors will quickly evaluate and observe all admitted victims – the victims which are in high risk of life-threatening conditions will be given medical attention first.

Then the patients or victims which are not seriously ill may have to wait for their turn to be checked.

Now that you know what to do on cases of emergency, it is also important for us to know the symptoms and signs we should watch out for.

Emergency signs and warning signs that indicates symptoms of medical emergency are as follows: palpitation or irregular pulse rate, fainting, shortness or difficulty in breathing, dimmed or blurred vision, sudden dizziness, uncontrolled bleeding, unusual cough or vomiting with blood.

Other emergency signs and warning signs include depression that may lead to suicidal tendencies or homicidal feelings, use of non-prescription drugs, tightened pressure the chest, unusual abdominal pain, disruptive behavior, signs of confusion and uneasiness, pain attacks in various body parts, and so on.

Experts on this says that ‘emergency’ does not only fall into the general literal term ‘emergency’. It also has different classifications, with each type corresponding to a certain level of risk.

Some of which site area emergency, general emergency, medical emergency, catastrophes, notification of unusual event, alert and more.

Emergencies need aggressive response. Whatever type of emergency tbat may arise, one should not panic as long as he or she knows well what to do, who to call and where to go.