Emergency Proceedures

Always Call 911 First In Any Emergency

Fire emergencies and emergency medical aid is provided by Charlotte County Fire and EMS units based on the island. Paramedics and firefighter/EMT’s staff the Island’s Fire House (Station #10) to insure a timely response to fire and medical calls. This is part of your tax dollars at work.

NEVER GO DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE STATION OR BARGE. You will be wasting precious time. Wait for emergency personnel to come to the address given. Fire station personnel could be on another call, doing island inspections, etc.

WHEN CALLING 911, use a landline if available. Their system will show the location immediately. 911 operators are trained to handle calls for fire, medical, and police emergencies. Listen to and answer all questions asked. After placing the call, if possible, send someone outside to watch for and flag responders.

If calling from a cell phone be sure to give the correct FULL STREET ADDRESS – do not say “Palm” or “Gulf Blvd”. Make sure you identify it as “Palm Drive” and “Gulf Blvd North”. Within Charlotte County there are several streets with the name Palm or Gulf, etc.

Identify whether you are on Palm Island Resort, Don Pedro, or Knight Island. Inform the operator to route the call to Station #10 should you need fire and/or EMS units.

Use 911 for a police emergency in progress. If you can, call the Sheriff’s office later to discuss the situation. Sheriff Billy cannot always be on the island. To report a crime that has already taken place, call the non-emergency number at the Sheriff’s office: 941-474-3233.

To Assist Emergency Responders:
◦ Keep the telephone line clear after the 9-1-1 call is made.
◦ Make sure your address can be seen from the street.
◦ Secure your pets, especially all dogs.
◦ At night, make sure your outdoor lights are on.
◦ Clear any obstacles in front of entrance doors
◦ If possible, move vehicles from in front of entrance doors to aid access.

In Case of Fire:
Give important information to the first arriving emergency unit. For example:
◦ Is anyone still inside the structure? (This includes pets.) ◦ Where is the fire located within the structure?
◦ Where are utilities located, such as electrical panels and gas valves? ◦ Include information on peculiar aspects of the structure.

Medical Emergencies:
◦ Have all pertinent information available to the arriving paramedics such as, a list of all medications, medical history and doctors name.
◦ If possible, have all medications in a bag in case they need to be taken to the hospital with the patient.
◦ Family members can only ride to the hospital in the front of the rescue vehicle after signing a liability waiver. The officer or paramedic in charge may disallow this for any reason if it is deemed in the patient’s best interest.
◦ When following a rescue to the hospital, please do not follow at the same pace or close behind the emergency vehicle. Many vehicles do not give the right of way to the rescue vehicle, causing the unit to make sudden stops.
◦ The paramedic may speak loudly so that co-workers can also hear, or he may respond in an abrupt manner. Please do not misunderstand these actions as rude or uncaring.
◦ There will be situations where the information that you provide needs to be short and basic so that rapid treatment can be given.

After Hours (when ferry is not running):
◦ Dispatchers use a “call list” to bring in ferry Captains.
◦ Sheriff’s Deputies have boats to get to the island directly.

Join Charlotte Counties’ Red Dot Program

How Do I Join?

Question: How can a simple red decal and 10 minutes of your time potentially save your life?

Answer: That simple decal will alert Charlotte County Fire and EMS personnel that you have completed a short questionnaire alerting them to pertinent medical information regarding you and your family.

The Red Dot program is an easy way to ensure vital information is available when you cannot speak for yourself or when there isn’t time to collect your thoughts during an emergency. All you have to do is complete a brief form, attach it to your refrigerator door, and then put a red dot decal on your front door.

In the event of an emergency, responding units will see the red dot and look for an information package on your refrigerator. The sheets are safely stored in your house until they are needed. Listed on the form is your medical history, current medications, your doctor’s name, etc. Everything a paramedic needs to save your life.

If you’re interested, make an appointment to pick up a red dot package at Station 10, 697-5400.

The Red Dot Program is a way for you to share your medical history with emergency responders before an emergency occurs. Red Dot Form

When you dial 911, firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement arrive and begin providing emergency care. They also start asking you or your family members what seems like a tremendous amount of questions.

What is your Medical History?
What Medications do you take? Amount or dose? When?
Do you have any Allergies?
Do you have a DNRO, (Do Not Resuscitate Order) or Advanced Directives?
Who are your emergency contacts?

During an emergency, you may not be able to communicate or remember all of your information. Emergency responders need this important information to care for you as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Charlotte County Fire – EMS, Punta Gorda Fire Department, Englewood Fire Department,Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, and the Punta Gorda Police Department recognize this problem and it is why the Red Dot Medical Information Program was created. This quick and easy Red Dot Medical Information Form is filled out before an emergency occurs. Red Dot packets can be picked up at the headquarters of all our partnering agencies listed above.

WAYS TO JOIN THE RED DOT PROGRAM:

Fill out the form here. After completing the form, make sure to save a copy on your computer or device. Next, email the completed form to the 911 Coordinator at e911@ccsofl.net. Alternatively, you can mail the form to Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, ATTN: 911 Coordinator, 7474 Utilities Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33982. Once they receive your information, it will be stored in their computer system and available in case you need to call EMS in the future.