KINGMAN – Effective this evening, Monday, March 16, Kingman Dispatch will be utilizing a specific questionnaire to screen all callers who desire or require an in-person response by a Police Officer, Firefighter, or Ambulance personnel.
Callers will be advised that for the protection of first responders, they will ask a few questions prior to their arrival.
All callers will be asked if anyone in the home has any of the following symptoms:
· Measured body temperature greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees
· Fever
· Chills
· Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
· Persistent cough
· Any other new respiratory problems (i.e., persistent sneezing, wheezing, congestion, etc.)
Callers will also be asked Travel History/Patient Contact History questions below:
· Has anyone in the household
o Traveled in the last 14 days (if so, where?)
o Had contact with a person who has traveled from a known infected area in the last 14 days (if so, what place)?
o Had contact with someone with flu-like illness (if so, when)?
§ (If above is Yes) is he/she a healthcare worker?
If there are any “Yes” answers to questions above, the dispatch will give the instruction “from now on, don’t allow anyone to come in close contact with him/her unless wearing appropriate personal protective equipment”.
Additionally, to minimize potential exposure to our first responders, callers experiencing non-emergent situations will be asked if they are willing to speak with someone over the phone. Any caller requesting contact by phone does not require screening.
CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG BUT; ISN’T this the reason that (KRMC) is setting up a tent at the hospital parking lot,TO PRE SCREEN those BY professionally trained? I hope this is only for non emergency calls or situations, that’s alot for someone having a heart attack, stroke, or life threating circumstance to answer before they dispatch HELP. Seconds matter in those situations, I do however agree if it is non emergency ask those questions, BUT GET THEM HELP FIRST, as some do go to ER with non life threating issues, but typically PPL drive themselves, not calling 911!