Frequently Asked Questions
What information should I provide or have available when I dial 9-1-1?
Always remember that the emergency dispatcher is trying to determine what is needed and where it is needed. Emergency Dispatchers will ask you what type of emergency you are having. There are three general categories: Medical, Law Enforcement and Fire. If you tell them that you are having a medical emergency, the dispatchers will want to know if the patient is conscious and if they are breathing. They may also ask you about the patient's past medical history and accessibility to your home. The dispatchers will confirm information that is provided to them by the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and E9-1-1 system like your location, your telephone number and your name.
What information should I provide or have available for the ambulance that arrives?
Some information that will be helpful when the ambulance crew arrives will be the patient's chief complaint or their medical problem, the patient's age, medical history, drug allergies, and current medications.
Who provides my Emergency Medical Services (EMS)?
The Willard Fire Department is the primary EMS provider for the City of Willard and the four surrounding townships which include Greenfield Township, New Haven Township, Norwich Township, and Richmond Township.
What is the difference between a Medic Ambulance and a Basic Ambulance?
In the City of Willard a Medic ambulance can provide advanced life support (ALS) while a Basic ambulance can only provide basic life support (BLS).
What do ALS and BLS mean?
BLS stands for Basic Life Support and it can provide treatment for less serious injuries. These treatments include splinting, bandaging and basic assistance. EMTs are trained in the use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for patients that are not breathing and pulseless. They are also trained how to assist with patient assisted medications and MDI or meter dosed inhalers.
ALS stands for Advanced Life Support and it can provide treatment for more serious injuries. Advanced EMTs perform IV therapy, administer medications for some breathing problems, allergic reactions, seizures, drug overdoses, pain management and diabetic emergencies. They also interpret 6 cardiac rhythms and perform chest decompression in the case of a collapsed lung.
Paramedics perform the skills listed above for the EMTs and Advanced EMTs plus interpret 25 cardiac rhythms, cardioversion, cardiac pacing, defibrillation with a manual defibrillator, needle cricothyrotomy, surgical cricothyrotomy (an incision in the neck for a breathing tube to be inserted), and chest decompression. The paramedic also provides medication therapy for cardiac emergencies including a heart attack, irregular heart rhythms, rapid sequence intubation (RSI), breathing problems, allergic reactions, seizures, drug overdoses, pain management and diabetic emergencies.
Why does a support unit, fire truck or ambulance sometimes accompany an ambulance on EMS calls?
A support unit, fire truck or second ambulance will often accompany an ambulance on EMS calls when additional manpower, special equipment or another hazard exists that cannot be handled by the personnel on the ambulance. EMS calls that automatically include a fire truck are
automobile accidents, cardiac arrests and any emergency that requires some form of extrication or rescue.
Will I get a bill from the fire department for my EMS response and/or transport?
Always remember that the emergency dispatcher is trying to determine what is needed and where it is needed. Emergency Dispatchers will ask you what type of emergency you are having. There are three general categories: Medical, Law Enforcement and Fire. If you tell them that you are having a medical emergency, the dispatchers will want to know if the patient is conscious and if they are breathing. They may also ask you about the patient's past medical history and accessibility to your home. The dispatchers will confirm information that is provided to them by the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and E9-1-1 system like your location, your telephone number and your name.
What information should I provide or have available for the ambulance that arrives?
Some information that will be helpful when the ambulance crew arrives will be the patient's chief complaint or their medical problem, the patient's age, medical history, drug allergies, and current medications.
Who provides my Emergency Medical Services (EMS)?
The Willard Fire Department is the primary EMS provider for the City of Willard and the four surrounding townships which include Greenfield Township, New Haven Township, Norwich Township, and Richmond Township.
What is the difference between a Medic Ambulance and a Basic Ambulance?
In the City of Willard a Medic ambulance can provide advanced life support (ALS) while a Basic ambulance can only provide basic life support (BLS).
What do ALS and BLS mean?
BLS stands for Basic Life Support and it can provide treatment for less serious injuries. These treatments include splinting, bandaging and basic assistance. EMTs are trained in the use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for patients that are not breathing and pulseless. They are also trained how to assist with patient assisted medications and MDI or meter dosed inhalers.
ALS stands for Advanced Life Support and it can provide treatment for more serious injuries. Advanced EMTs perform IV therapy, administer medications for some breathing problems, allergic reactions, seizures, drug overdoses, pain management and diabetic emergencies. They also interpret 6 cardiac rhythms and perform chest decompression in the case of a collapsed lung.
Paramedics perform the skills listed above for the EMTs and Advanced EMTs plus interpret 25 cardiac rhythms, cardioversion, cardiac pacing, defibrillation with a manual defibrillator, needle cricothyrotomy, surgical cricothyrotomy (an incision in the neck for a breathing tube to be inserted), and chest decompression. The paramedic also provides medication therapy for cardiac emergencies including a heart attack, irregular heart rhythms, rapid sequence intubation (RSI), breathing problems, allergic reactions, seizures, drug overdoses, pain management and diabetic emergencies.
Why does a support unit, fire truck or ambulance sometimes accompany an ambulance on EMS calls?
A support unit, fire truck or second ambulance will often accompany an ambulance on EMS calls when additional manpower, special equipment or another hazard exists that cannot be handled by the personnel on the ambulance. EMS calls that automatically include a fire truck are
automobile accidents, cardiac arrests and any emergency that requires some form of extrication or rescue.
Will I get a bill from the fire department for my EMS response and/or transport?
The City of Willard and Willard Fire & Rescue uses a third party billing agency to bill for EMS call.
April 1, 2023 to Present: The AccuMed Group is our current billing company.
Prior to April 1, 2023: Change Healthcare is our previous billing company.
If an ambulance transports a patient to the hospital the patient will receive a bill for the call. A patient who refuses transport will not be billed.
Why will I only be transported to Mercy Health Willard Hospital?
Willard Fire & Rescue does not transport to any other health care facility due to the transport time involved. Taking patients to hospitals in surrounding cities, counties, or elsewhere, would place an emergency ambulance out of service for an unreasonable period of time and would unnecessarily delay definitive care for your emergency. In the event special facilities are needed to deal with your emergency, other resources, like Life Flight helicopters or other ambulances will be used to transport you to a specific facility.
How do I obtain a copy of my EMS PCR (Patient Care Report) from the fire department?
EMS reports are confidential and contain privileged information and protected under the Federal HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws. The patient that was treated, or his/her power of attorney or legal guardian, are the only people that can request a copy of the EMS Patient Care Report. Please contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer at the fire station during the hours of 7:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday through Friday at (419) 935-8297 if you have any questions or need to obtain an EMS Patient Care Report. You may also send an email to the HIPAA Privacy Officer at: [email protected] For our Notice of Privacy Practices, please click here.
April 1, 2023 to Present: The AccuMed Group is our current billing company.
Prior to April 1, 2023: Change Healthcare is our previous billing company.
If an ambulance transports a patient to the hospital the patient will receive a bill for the call. A patient who refuses transport will not be billed.
Why will I only be transported to Mercy Health Willard Hospital?
Willard Fire & Rescue does not transport to any other health care facility due to the transport time involved. Taking patients to hospitals in surrounding cities, counties, or elsewhere, would place an emergency ambulance out of service for an unreasonable period of time and would unnecessarily delay definitive care for your emergency. In the event special facilities are needed to deal with your emergency, other resources, like Life Flight helicopters or other ambulances will be used to transport you to a specific facility.
How do I obtain a copy of my EMS PCR (Patient Care Report) from the fire department?
EMS reports are confidential and contain privileged information and protected under the Federal HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws. The patient that was treated, or his/her power of attorney or legal guardian, are the only people that can request a copy of the EMS Patient Care Report. Please contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer at the fire station during the hours of 7:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday through Friday at (419) 935-8297 if you have any questions or need to obtain an EMS Patient Care Report. You may also send an email to the HIPAA Privacy Officer at: [email protected] For our Notice of Privacy Practices, please click here.