20 Reasons to Call EMS

  • Bleeding that won't stop
  • Choking
  • Confusion, slurred speech, difficulty walking or speaking
  • Coughing up or vomiting blood
  • Dizziness, weakness, or a change in vision
  • Drowning
  • Drug overdose
  • Fainting or loss of consciousness
  • Heat exhaustion
  • Hypothermia
  • Major injury
  • Pain or pressure in the chest or upper abdomen
  • Poisoning
  • Seizures or convulsions not caused by epilepsy
  • Severe allergic reaction
  • Severe burns
  • Shortness of breath or other difficulty breathing
  • Threats of suicide
  • Trauma to the head, neck, or back
  • Unexplained severe headache

Other Options

If there is any doubt, call 911

Tell the Operator:

  • Your name and phone number
  • The nature of the emergency
  • The location of the emergency
  • What happened
  • The victim's condition and medical history, if you know it
  • Do not hang up until the operator tells you to