Don't wait for an emergency to find out what you need to do! Here are some excellent tips from a former
Island emergency responder.
Island emergency responder.
Always CALL 911 FIRST in any emergency.
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Fire emergencies and emergency medical aid is provided by Charlotte County Fire and EMS units based on the island. Paramedics and firefighter/EMT's staff the Island’s Fire House (Station #10) to insure a timely response to fire and medical calls. This is part of your tax dollars at work.
NEVER GO DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE STATION. You will be wasting precious time. Fire station personnel could be on another call, doing island inspections, etc. WHEN CALLING 911, use a landline if available. Their system will show the location immediately. If calling from a cell phone be sure to give the correct FULL STREET ADDRESS – do not say "Palm" or "Gulf Blvd". Make sure you identify it as "Palm Drive" and "Gulf Blvd North". Within Charlotte County there are several streets with the name Palm or Gulf, etc. Identify whether you are on Palm Island Resort, Don Pedro, or Knight Island. Inform the operator to route the call to Station #10 should you need fire and/or EMS units. Use 911 for a police emergency in progress. If you can, call the Sheriff's office later to discuss the situation. Sheriff Billy cannot always be on the island. To report a crime that has already taken place, call the non-emergency number at the Sheriff's office: 941-474-3233. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 911 operators are trained to handle calls for fire, medical, and police emergencies. Listen to and answer all questions asked. After placing the call, if possible, send someone outside to watch for and flag responders. DO NOT GO TO THE FIRE STATION OR TO THE BARGE. Wait for emergency personnel to come to the address given. To Assist Emergency Responders: ◦ Keep the telephone line clear after the 9-1-1 call is made. ◦ Make sure your address can be seen from the street. ◦ Secure your pets, especially all dogs. ◦ At night, make sure your outdoor lights are on. ◦ Clear any obstacles in front of entrance doors ◦ If possible, move vehicles from in front of entrance doors to aid access. |
The Red Dot Program
Question: How can a simple red decal and 10 minutes of your time potentially save your life? 
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In Case of Fire:
Give important information to the first arriving emergency unit. For example:
◦ Is anyone still inside the structure? (This includes pets.) ◦ Where is the fire located within the structure?
◦ Where are utilities located, such as electrical panels and gas valves? ◦ Include information on peculiar aspects of the structure.
Medical Emergencies:
◦ Have all pertinent information available to the arriving paramedics such as, a list of all medications, medical history and doctors name.
◦ If possible, have all medications in a bag in case they need to be taken to the hospital with the patient.
◦ Family members can only ride to the hospital in the front of the rescue vehicle after signing a liability waiver. The officer or
paramedic in charge may disallow this for any reason if it is deemed in the patient's best interest.
◦ When following a rescue to the hospital please do not follow at the same pace or close behind the emergency vehicle. Many
vehicles do not give the right of way to the rescue causing the unit to make sudden stops.
◦ The paramedic may speak loudly so that co-workers can also hear, or he may respond in an abrupt manner. Please do not
misunderstand these actions to be rude or uncaring.
◦ There will be situations where the information that you provide needs to be short and basic so that rapid treatment can be given.
After Hours (when ferry is not running):
◦ Dispatchers use a “call list” to bring in ferry Captains.
◦ Sheriff’s Deputies have boats to get to the island directly.
Give important information to the first arriving emergency unit. For example:
◦ Is anyone still inside the structure? (This includes pets.) ◦ Where is the fire located within the structure?
◦ Where are utilities located, such as electrical panels and gas valves? ◦ Include information on peculiar aspects of the structure.
Medical Emergencies:
◦ Have all pertinent information available to the arriving paramedics such as, a list of all medications, medical history and doctors name.
◦ If possible, have all medications in a bag in case they need to be taken to the hospital with the patient.
◦ Family members can only ride to the hospital in the front of the rescue vehicle after signing a liability waiver. The officer or
paramedic in charge may disallow this for any reason if it is deemed in the patient's best interest.
◦ When following a rescue to the hospital please do not follow at the same pace or close behind the emergency vehicle. Many
vehicles do not give the right of way to the rescue causing the unit to make sudden stops.
◦ The paramedic may speak loudly so that co-workers can also hear, or he may respond in an abrupt manner. Please do not
misunderstand these actions to be rude or uncaring.
◦ There will be situations where the information that you provide needs to be short and basic so that rapid treatment can be given.
After Hours (when ferry is not running):
◦ Dispatchers use a “call list” to bring in ferry Captains.
◦ Sheriff’s Deputies have boats to get to the island directly.
