BCoFD : How Residents Can Help Ease Strain On EMS During COVID-19 Surge

Pikesville MD

10 January, 2022

2:56 PM

Description

Press release from the Baltimore County Fire Department: January 10, 2022 The Baltimore County Fire Department asks the community's help in easing the unprecedented strain that the latest COVID-19 surge has placed on the area's emergency medical services personnel, frontline responders and hospitals. COVID-19 infections continue to spread rapidly throughout Maryland and threaten to overwhelm frontline health care providers and our health care system as a whole. The growing number of hospitalizations has led to longer patient wait times in the area's hospital emergency departments and a shortage of available staffed beds in hospitals. Health care facilities must triage patients as they arrive to ensure the sickest receive treatment first. In some cases, patients with non-life-threatening emergencies may wait for extended periods, some exceeding 24 hours. Calling 911 for an ambulance does not guarantee faster care in the emergency room. Because local hospitals may be full, ambulances may be required to take patients to other regions. Taking EMS units out of their communities for extended periods makes them less available for urgent medical calls such as heart attacks and vehicle accidents. "Our career and volunteer EMS personnel are working extremely hard during this historic crisis," said Fire Chief Joanne Rund. "Please, help them by showing patience and by using the EMS system responsibly." BCoFD joins the regional EMS community in asking residents and visitors to do their part to ease strain on the system by following this guidance: Avoid going to emergency rooms for minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, and low-grade fevers. Instead, seek non-emergency care from primary care physicians or urgent care centers. Do not go to a emergency room to obtain a COVID-19 test. Instead, go to an approved COVID-19 testing site, or use a home test kit. Information about the County's testing sites is available online; make an appointment for a test. Call 911 if you feel you have a medical emergency.  Conditions that require immediate medical help include:   ​​​​​Chest pains or persistent pain or pressure in the chest Trouble breathing or shortness of breath Blueish lips or face Severe pain that is new and doesn't go away Traumatic injury Unconscious or altered mental status New confusion or inability to arouse Stroke Overdose Allergic reaction with swelling and/or respiratory difficulty Seizure Diabetic emergencies Life-threatening mental health issues (e.g., suicidal) Burns Childbirth (labor or complications)   Get vaccinated and/or receive the COVID-19 booster, and encourage others to do the same. Help limit COVID-19 transmission by socially distancing, washing hands regularly, and wearing a mask. Limit exposure to others, especially if there has been close contact with someone known to have COVID-19 or there are COVID-19 symptoms. Following these guidelines can help decrease the spread of COVID-19 and, subsequently the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Additional information about Baltimore County's COVID-19 resources is available on this site. This press release was produced by the Baltimore County Fire Department. The views expressed here are the author's own.