Rhode Island state lawmakers are reviewing Gov. Lincoln …
The second subject arrested in the assault that left a Brown …
The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that will allow education …
Advertisement
New 911 policy prioritizes emergencies
Providene dispatchers will determine patient need
Updated: Friday, 30 Nov 2012, 7:16 PM EST
Published : Friday, 30 Nov 2012, 12:43 PM EST
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A new 911 policy in Providence gives emergency calls top priority and means people who don't have a serious problem will have to wait.
The Providence Journal reports that the new policy took effect Wednesday.
Dispatchers will now determine whether callers have one of 14 serious situations, including a suspected heart attack or an attack involving weapons. If so, they'll send a crew right away.
Callers with problems including flu-like symptoms and dental complaints will have to wait if crews are tied up with emergencies.
Under the old system, ambulances were sent to every call. If the city's six fire rescue crews were tied up, they got help from neighboring communities.
Some neighboring towns complained they were overstretched and threatened to stop sending aid to Providence.
Ground rules for posting comments: No profanity or personal attacks. Please comment on the subject of the story itself. If you do not follow these rules, we will remove your post. Keep it civil, folks!
Our commenting section is powered by IntenseDebate. If you registered for an account but didn't receive a verification e-mail, check your spam folder or click here for more information. For additional technical help, click here.
Email This
Print This
View Story on a Single PageAdvertisement
Advertisement