Have a medical emergency? 5 things to keep in mind when calling an ambulance

Dubai: If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation where you are in need of medical help, it is important to remember some basic guidelines that you should follow to ensure you receive the necessary assistance at the right time.

Gulf News spoke with Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) on the sidelines of Gitex Global 2022, to find out how UAE residents can best take advantage of the ambulance services provided in the UAE. Here are the details:

Step 1: Know how to reach out for help

“If you have any medical emergency, you have to call the ambulance on 998. DCAS also has a new application which you can use,” Ayesha Salem Abdullah, paramedic at DCAS told Gulf News.

So, residents living anywhere in the UAE can call an ambulance by dialing 998. If you are in Dubai, you can also download the ‘DCAS SOS & Smart Services’ app from the Apple App Sore and the ‘DCOS Smart SOS’ app from the Google Play Store.

Step 2: Provide detailed location

“If you are using the app, it will automatically detect your location. You simply have to enable location settings when you first download the app on your phone,” Amal Suliman, Life Support Instructor at DCAS told Gulf News.

“If you are calling for help, you need to provide the officer with location details, not just the name of a building,” Amal added.

She highlighted the details that you should provide the ambulatory service official when you are calling to seek assistance:

- Name of the area
- Street name
- A landmark nearby
- Building name
- Details of where in the building you are. For example, floor number or room number.

If you are calling for help, you need to provide the officer with location details, not just the name of a building.

- Amal Suliman, Life Support Instructor at Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services

Step 3: Provide details of the type of incident

You would also need to inform the officer of what kind of a medical emergency you are facing. Whether it is a fire, a fall or a health-related emergency, like cardiac arrest, provide details of the incident to the officer.

Step 4: Inform the officer of the number of people involved

It is also important to let the ambulance services know of how many people require medical assistance.

Step 5: Describe the extent of injury

“We need to know how badly the patient is injured, whether or not he or she is conscious, because we have specific response time for such cases,” Amal said.

“Also, we have different ambulances, so specifying the number of people involved and the type of incident will allow us to know which ambulance to dispatch,” she added.