Health & Safety Information

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you call 911?

Dial 911 in the event of an emergency ONLY! When someone is badly hurt or suddenly sick and in danger, call 911 immediately. Call when someone’s life is threatened, when someone faints or collapses, has persistent chest pain or difficulty breathing or is badly injured. Call if the victim needs the skills or equipment of emergency personnel. Call if moving the victims yourself could cause further injury. If unsure, CALL 911.

Know What to Say When Calling 911

Stay calm, speak clearly and stay on the phone until the emergency operator tells you to hang up. Give the exact location of the emergency. Tell the dispatcher who is hurt and sick and what happened.  The most important thing to remember is to stay calm and know where you are.

Know what to do until help arrives

If the dispatcher gives you specific instructions, follow them and don’t panic. Don’t move someone who is injured unless they are in danger. Do try to keep them as comfortable as possible. If someone else is there with you, send them to meet the Fire Department personnel.

Why do fire trucks respond to medical calls?

Fire trucks are dispatched to the scene of a medical call at the same time as the ambulance.  Depending upon the location of the incident, fire trucks are usually closer.  Fire crews provide basic and advanced life support and create a well-orchestrated team effort called the incident command system.  This is for the protection, safety and well-being of our citizens and guests.

High Altitude Sickness

What is high altitude or mountain sickness?

Sometimes people get sick at high altitudes. This is called mountain sickness or high altitude sickness.

What causes this problem?

Lack of oxygen causes high altitude sickness. As altitude increases, the air becomes “thinner,” which means less oxygen is in the atmosphere. You take in less oxygen to your lungs with each breath, so the amount of oxygen in your blood declines (this is called hypoxia).  Anyone can experience mountain sickness, but it may be more severe in people who have heart or lung problems.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms usually begin within 48 hours of arriving at high altitude. The higher the altitude, the greater the effects.

Symptoms include:

• headache, breathlessness, fatigue
• nausea or vomiting
• inability to sleep
• swelling of the face, hands and feet

Both heart rate and breathing rate increase as the body tries to send more oxygen to its tissues. At very high altitudes, body fluid can leak into the brain (called brain or cerebral edema) or into the lungs (pulmonary edema). Both of these conditions can be serious or even life-threatening.

Recommendation

The best way to avoid or lessen the effects of mountain sickness is to increase altitude slowly. Climbers and hikers can take two days to reach 8,000 feet, and then another day for each 1,000 to 2,000 higher feet. This may not be an option for people who travel to a destination at high altitude. Most people can adjust or “acclimatize” to the high altitude within a few days. Here are some tips:

• Avoid strenuous activity for the first day or two.
• Drink extra fluid.
• Be careful of drinking alcohol. Its effect is magnified at high altitude.
• Your doctor may prescribe medication to help prevent or treat altitude sickness.

If you have a heart or lung condition, consult your physician before going to high altitude. He or she can tell you whether your condition will let your body adjust to the lower oxygen in the atmosphere.