Steps To Take When An Air Ambulance Picks Up A Loved One
If you've been in a serious accident in which someone in your vehicle has been severely injured and requires hospital care, a conventional street ambulance may not be enough. Depending on factors such as the distance to the nearest hospital and even the traffic, first responders may decide to have an air ambulance visit your location to pick up your loved one. This can be quite a shock—an accident is a shock in its own right, but seeing a helicopter touch down and your loved one hustled on board can seem surreal. If you're able to do so, it's ideal to snap out of the shock so that you can take the appropriate steps. Here are some steps that you could take.
See If You Can Travel In The Air Ambulance
Depending on the situation, you may be able to ride with your loved one in the air ambulance en route to the hospital. If you've been injured yourself, first responders may need to care for you on the scene. However, if you're in an okay condition and don't want to leave your loved one's side, see if you're able to get on board.
Determine Where Your Loved One Is Going
If you aren't able to travel in the air ambulance, you may wish to make immediate plans to visit your loved one in the hospital. There's little question that the helicopter will reach the hospital before you can, but you may be able to arrive shortly thereafter. In a severe car accident, you won't likely be able to take your car to the hospital. As soon as you've received any first aid that you require, have dealt with the police, and have arranged for your vehicle to be towed, you can make your own plans to travel to the hospital. Make sure that you find out which hospital the air ambulance will be travel to, and then call a friend or family member who can transport you.
Contact Other Family Members
After a car accident, it's easy to be in such a shock that you aren't thinking clearly. Try to pause for a moment to determine what your next logical steps should be. If you're having someone drive you to the hospital, one thing that you can do is to contact family members to let them know about the accident, as well as the name and location of the hospital for those who plan to visit.