by Jamie Pinske, a full-time Paramedic here at Casselton Ambulance Service. We asked Jamie to give us a few blog posts about her experiences as a paramedic
Here is her post with insights on the schedules of the ambulance team and explains the process of what happens when you dial 911 for an ambulance service.
Casselton Ambulance Service operates 24/7/365. There is always a crew of two people on shift, and a shift is 24 hours. Full-time staff are on shift multiple days in a row and on a regular schedule. PRN staff are also on call 24 hours for their shift but fewer days per month.
So, what happens when you dial 911 and tell them you need an ambulance? Here's what to expect:
- Your call first is fielded by the Red River Regional Dispatch Center, or “Central” as we call them. They are extensively trained in fielding emergency calls and expediting the correct type of assistance to the emergency. They will ask questions of the caller to help determine what type of help is needed, and they will talk the caller through giving aid, if necessary, prior to the ambulance arriving on scene.
- "Central" will then send out a page to our text pagers based at the station and to our cell phones. The text page contains GPS coordinates/address of the call and a description of its nature.
- We radio to Central to acknowledge the page through our base radio at the station, then hop in the rig and radio to Central that we are enroute.
- We radio to Central when we arrive on scene and carry a portable radio with us into the call to maintain communication.
- We radio to Central when we depart scene, when we arrive at the hospital, when we leave the hospital and when we return to base.
Communication is a key component in a well-oiled EMS machine!
About Jamie
I started as a PRN EMT in March 2022, and became a full-time EMT in September 2022. I began Paramedic School in February 2023 and graduated December 2023. I passed my National Registry Test for Paramedic on April 26, 2024. It has been a busy and exciting journey! I am proud to serve the city of Casselton and the surrounding communities.
