If someone is having a seizure, do the police need to be called?

[no1_vern]

On another site, someone commented that when a student had a seizure, the paramedics/police were called to respond to the incident.

I can see why the paramedics were called, and I can understand that the police can render assistance with the paramedics if needed. Are there laws or requirements that the police must be notified if a person has a seizure or other medical condition requiring the paramedics to arrive and take a person to a hospital?

[Steve R Jones]

<<Places common sense cap on head>>

When I dial 911 I'm dialing the police..... who in turn send out whomever they want.

Having a "law" implies there are penalties if you don't comply...On the other site - did they indicate what number to dial? Like 119??

[no1_vern]

Sorry I didn't post exactly what he said-

seizures are no laughing joke. a student in my class today had one. never seen someone seize up like that. it's crazy. needless to say class was canceled and the paramedics/police came.

[Steve R Jones]

My favorite bartender had one a couple weeks ago... Cut his head real bad on the way down.... Only the paramedics showed up.

[tony_j15]

Police are trained in emergency first response techniques, so in the event of a seizure a police officer will do just as well as a paramedic. Seems like a situation where whoever is closest will get the call.

[zen]

The police have tazers to help resucitate the victim!

[Taxmancometh]

My sister had seizures all the time in our house, It was so common you didn't even call the paramedics.

[MegalosSkylaki]

As a practical matter, it takes a single phonecall to 911 to secure Emergency Medical Services. EMS has its own rules whether police are required. For example, when a person is "out of control" here in NYC, the EMS will not respond until NYPD has secured the area and then a policeman must ride in the ambulance.

Police are also needed when the situation raises questions of crowd control, such as in a public area such as bar or school or in certain neiborhoods where EMS has experienced a hostile reception at times or fears one. If EMS request police backup, it will get it. In any event, a single phonecall should suffice and you should have the opportunity to speak to someone in EMS to advise of any collateral issues that obtain.

MegalosSkylaki

[CERuppel]

This is a personal issue for me, since I have seizures. And in my past it has been a crap shoot whether calling EMS or not calling is the right choice.

In the situation mentioned above, EMS is (in my opinion) the right call. Public location, no relatives/close freinds on hand... No one on the scene could have the experience with that persons seizures, or the past reactions/problems.

I know that after/during a seizure I have talked, walked, and done all sorts of things. But later I have no memory of those things, or in many cases the reasoning behind those actions. With one exception. I seem to need to be close to family/freinds. In one case violently.

Just my opinions and thoughts.

[MegalosSkylaki]

Do you have a premonitory aura that warns you of a forthcoming seizure?
Are you able to call yourself?

An alternative for me when I get a certain type of Migraine with loss of speech communication (aphasia) is to go/be taken to Hospital ER room and await developments. Of course, in Manhattan ther are ER's all over.

MegalosSkylaki

[CERuppel]

Doog: Are you going psionic on me? Yes, in many of the past seizures I have had an "aura", a sort of loss of perception on my left side. Almost always accompanied by severe fear/paranoia. Unfortunately, it was also most often combined with a loss of reasoning, so that it was most times a warning that was useless.

But that was many years ago (getting old again). Then came the many happy years where it was thought that the seizures were fully under control. Nearly twelve years of bliss. Then they started happening again, but this time it was nothing like before.

Nowadays when I have a seizure the only memories of the event I have are scrambled. Senses are confused (ever tasted a sound?) and time has no meaning. At least according to my memory. I have to ask others to find out even what time of year it is, much less where I am, or at least once my name. No warning at all. They happen when I am walking down the street, sitting at home, at work, even in my sleep. (And the fear I have of hurting AC during one of those is ...).

Enough about me.

Back on topic (should EMS be called): In a public situation, where no other relative/friend is on hand YES. Call EMS, they are trained in this and many other medical emergency situations. Considering that I have lost the ability to breath (my diaphram had seized), the fact that EMS would be able to save my life (without me injuring them) makes them the next best thing to an Angel.

Assuming again the public seizure but adding the family member/friend: Then the call would be up to the family/friend. They would know just what sort of seizures the person had had in the past, and what measures were needed to treat them. It may be just a case of petty mal where the person needs to be kept from hurting themselves, and then let to rest. Or it may be a major call EMS NOW! Type of problem. Or anything in between.

Ranting off (for now)

[MegalosSkylaki]

Assuming again the public seizure but adding the family member/friend: Then the call would be up to the family/friend. They would know just what sort of seizures the person had had in the past, and what measures were needed to treat them. It may be just a case of petty mal where the person needs to be kept from hurting themselves, and then let to rest. Or it may be a major call EMS NOW! Type of problem. Or anything in between.

Let's see if I understand what exactly you are saying.
Rather than call EMS yourself to call the family member and have them call EMS.

If you are not exactly saying that and I think you are, I will say that.

With Migraine attacks because some of them can cause blindness and aphasia (loss of communicative language..err..what other kind of language is there?)..plus some other temporary stroke-like neurological events, I call the Topp Cat or some family member to tell them where I am and to keep in touch with me. If my speech does not return shortly to treat it like a stroke and call EMS.

The advantage of a family member/trusted party calling EMS is
A) you might go under during/before the call or gave necessary information.; with trusted party, you only need to start with location (if possible) and work from there;
B) trusted party knows and can relate history/medication;
C) to get to EMS you have to call 911 and some workers are slow on the uptake and keep repeating questions or get answers wrong; somebody who's not sick can better deal with that.

We have an alternative to 911 here called 311 for less-than-full emergencies. One call to 311 I was asked the location by two different responders a total of 17 times. It was a simple location like Smith Ave and 28th Street.

I had to call 911 for EMS over 100 times for one job and the experience varied widely. Sometimes I had to call more than once. The procedure here is to put caller to 911 in contact with EMS but if police had to be involved for some reason there was sometimes a reluctance to send out EMS because it meant sending out an NYPD squad car

Anyway, getting a trusted party tthat needs only location and some basic facts which takes only one minute who already knows the full background to do the calling is a wise strategy.

Errr..what's psionic ?

[CERuppel]

Errr..what's psionic ?

I meant that you named the situation that I lived with throughout my teens (aura, feel the oncoming seizure...).

And I agree with your assessment of the family/friend. If no one is on hand, then call EMS directly, otherwise have the family/friend do what is needed.

Froggy