Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when I call 911?
Your call is handled by
the Wyoming County E-911 Center. You will speak with a dispatcher who will ask
you a series of questions to assure that the appropriate services/personnel are
dispatched. This is why it is vital for you to stay on the line with the
dispatcher. Note that another person is dispatching the appropriate services
required as soon as that determination can be made, and while you are talking to
the first dispatcher.
When the 911 center
dispatches our service, our pagers alert us, we respond to the station, and
respond the appropriate unit.
Can I accompany the patient in the ambulance?
In general, you may
accompany the patient to the hospital by riding in the front with the driver.
You must wear your seat-belt and cannot be a hindrance to patient care. In rare
cases when the patient may require translation assistance or emotional support
to enable effective patient care, you will be permitted to accompany is the
patient compartment. This is at the discretion of the crew chief and/or
paramedic.
Is TCAA a paid service?
No, all of our members
are volunteers.
Is there a "subscription service"?
Yes.
Your subscriptions, donations (Annual Fund Drive & others) support the Company.
To which hospital will the patient be transported?
In most cases, if the
patient is stable, we will transport to Mercy-Tyler Hospital in Tunkhannock. We
encourage patients to consider transport to one of the local hospitals as their
proximity allows us to return to provide services to other residents more
rapidly.
If the patient is not
stable, we will transport to the closest appropriate facility. In general, when
they are stabilized, they can be transported to your preferred hospital.
Why did you take the patient to CMC - Scranton when
Mercy-Tyler Hospital - Tunkhannock was closer?
Mercy-Tyler - Tunkhannock
is the closest hospital, but may not have the specialty required by the patient.
CMC - Scranton is a Trauma Center and as such is required to have all
specialties staffed at all time. Patients that require "trauma" care will be
transported to CMC - Scranton or Geisinger Wyoming Valley - Wilkes-Barre, after
consultation with the family. We are very lucky to be in an area where we can
choose between several outstanding hospitals.
Why did two ambulances respond when I
called 911?
TCAA
is a Basic Life Support (BLS) provider. In situations where Advanced Life
Support (ALS) intervention might be required (Cardiac Monitoring, IV's,
medications, etc.) an ALS unit is dispatched as well. The BLS unit provides
care, and will generally transport the patient with the paramedic providing care
in the BLS ambulance.
In some cases, we may
also request a response from our Fire Service to assist with the call.
Why did an ambulance from a different township
respond when I called 911?
There are several reasons
an ambulance from a different township will respond:
- Mutual Aid - Should
the TCAA be unable to respond, usually because they are committed on another
call, Wyoming County Dispatch will dispatch "Mutual Aid". Mutal Aid
agreements are in place with neighboring agencies to assure that prompt care
will be provided.
- ALS Servics are
required.
Will I be billed if I call 911 and
request an ambulance?
If you are a subscriber
of TCAA, we will first bill your medical or auto insurance company as
appropriate. You will not receive a bill for the balance as your tax dollars and
contributions support our service.
If you are not a
subscriber of TCAA,
we will bill your insurance company, and you will be responsible for the balance
not paid by your insurance company.
We are a volunteer
organization and depend on the income received in this manner.
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