Warning signs, and what to saywhen you call for help.

What a possible heart attack can look like

The CDC describes signs that can include:

• Chest discomfort, pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain that lasts or returns
• Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort
• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arm, or shoulder
• Weakness, lightheadedness, faintness, or a cold sweat
• Nausea, vomiting, or unusual and unexplained tiredness

What a possible stroke can look like

FAST is a widely used prompt: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call emergency services. The CDC also describes sudden numbness or weakness on one side, sudden confusion, sudden trouble seeing or walking, and a sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Four things worth having ready to say

A dispatcher works from what they are told. Having these four things in mind ahead of time tends to make the call shorter and clearer:

• Where you are, as precisely as possible, including a cross street, floor, or apartment number
• What you are seeing, in plain words, and when it started
• Whether the person is awake and whether they are breathing normally
• The phone number you are calling from, in case the call drops

Stay on the line

A dispatcher can give instructions while help is on the way, including instructions for starting compressions if the person is not responding and not breathing normally. Ending the call early gives that up.

What this module cannot do

It cannot tell you whether a symptom is harmless, whether an emergency is happening, or whether it is safe to wait. When an emergency is possible, contacting local emergency services comes first and reading comes later.