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Medical
Emergencies
What
You Should Know
As parents, we pray
that our children and
families NEVER experience a medical emergency. Unfortunately,
parents
of children with special needs sometimes find themselves responding to
emergencies. The following information about North Dakota resources may
be helpful.
Emergency Response
and Transportation
in North Dakota
-
Call your local
emergency rescue association
using 911 or other local numbers.
-
Keep your child’s
medical record handy. If
possible, carry a disk or CD with important records with you. Make sure
someone else in the family knows where your child’s medical information
is kept.
-
If you are a TTY
user, be aware of and use
Relay ND for follow up conversations with health practitioners. Be
aware
of both the 7-1-1
and
the Speech-to-Speech services offered. Check out their web
site
or call toll free at 1-877-366-3709.
Emergency Air Service:
The term
emergency air service can be misleading. It is important to understand
that this does not mean immediate air service. Hospitals and
trauma
centers in North Dakota help families reach appropriate medical care.
When
air service is warranted, it may be faster than using a ground
ambulance.
Options usually include:
-
A hospital
helicopter service that flies within
150 miles of the hospital. Minot, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Fargo have
hospitals that offer this service.
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A fixed wing service
that flies longer distances,
including out of state.
Because a hospital’s
helicopter or plane may
be already in use, it is important to bring the person who is injured
to
a medical facility where they can be stabilized until air
transportation
can be arranged. Hospitals know who to call in emergencies.
Northwest Airlines:
They offer a
special emergency transportation service. They have a medical fare for
family members to go visit someone who is in the hospital in a city to
which they fly. Simply ask for the medical fare when you call them
(1-800-225-2525).
They require the name, address and phone number of the hospital where
the
person is staying to verify that the person has been admitted before
the
fare will be issued.
Amtrak:
They offer rail fare discounts for passengers with disabilities and one
caretaker. To receive the discount, you are required to provide written
documentation of disability at the ticket counter and when boarding the
train (policy may change). To contact them, call the toll free number
at
1-800-USA-RAIL, or if you are a TTY user call l-800-523-6590. To learn
more about accessibility features visit their web site.
ND
Emergency Medical Services for Children - Some good
resources
available at this North Dakota site include:
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Emergency
Guidelines for ND Schools –
Practical steps for planning how to respond to injuries and illnesses
for
children with special needs.
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Fact Sheets on
Health Hazards – How
to prevent and respond to rabies, carbon monoxide poisoning and other
health
hazards.
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Suicide – A
slide/print training program
on how to respond to suicide.
Other Emergency
Information:
Other Travel
Information:
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