Call 911 – don’t show up at the Greenville ambulance station

For the past several months, some Indian Valley residents in need of medical care, have driven to the ambulance substation in Greenville instead of calling 911.

This is problematic for emergency responders.

“We really need to make sure that the right resources are being distributed, and that EMS personnel have all of the information they need to make informed decisions about the medical emergencies,” said Dale Morgan, a spokesperson for Plumas District Hospital. “There is no guarantee that the EMS crew will be at the ambulance station when people drive there. For the safety of our community members, we need them to call 911, 100 percent of the time.”

Sam Blesse, a senior supervisor with Care Flight Ground (the ambulance service for Plumas District Hospital and the Indian Valley area) echoes that concern. He even posted a video on Facebook telling those who need emergency care to dial 911.

“When you call 911, the call is transferred to emergency medical dispatchers in Reno, who will ask you a series of very specific questions that let our crews know what kind of protocol you might fall under,” he said. “We need to be able to know where to send you and this early information is critical to that. So please call 911, 100 percent of the time.”

While it might be tempting to drive straight to an ambulance station, health officers warn that to receive the most appropriate care, call 911.