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Dial 911 Don't Drive

Most of the 1.2 million Americans who suffer a heart attack each year go for hours without getting help, because they're embarrassed to call 911, or they can't believe a heart attack might be happening to them. As a result, instead of receiving the immediate care that Emergency Medical Service teams offer, roughly a third die before getting to a hospital.

Coliseum Health System, through Dial Don't Drive Coliseum, is working to decrease the time between the onset of  cardiac symptoms and hospital treatment by promoting the use of 911 for possible heart related emergencies. While in transit, EMS can initially diagnose a heart attack, and transmit full 12-lead EKG information from transporting ambulances to one of the Coliseum hospitals, triggering activation of the hospital's emergency catheterization team and rapid intervention upon patient arrival.

Coliseum Medical Center is proud to be the only hospital in the area certified by the American Heart & Stroke Association as a Mission Lifeline Hospital. Together, our goal is to provide the highest quality cardiac care to all of our patients and families.

Know the Symptoms of Heart Attack

If you experience any of these heart attack symptoms, don’t wait, dial 911 for help right away.

  • Chest discomfort or tightness
  • Discomfort in areas of the upper body, like the arms
  • Shortness of breath
  • Anxiety
    Dizziness or nausea

Today, heart attack and stroke victims can benefit from new medications and high-tech defibrillation equipment unavailable to patients in the past, and administered by EMS en route to the hospital. Clot-busting drugs can stop some heart attacks and strokes in progress, reducing disability and saving lives. But to be effective, these treatments must be given quickly after heart attack or stroke symptoms first appear.

So if symptoms occur, don't waste time with all the reasons you shouldn't call for help, remember the reasons you should call 911. Don't delay, call within 5 minutes.

Dial 911 Don't Drive Coliseum

The Dial 911 Don't Drive Coliseum initiative emphasizies the importance of calling 911 if you are experiencing possible heart attack symptoms. The immediate attention and time saving Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides is very likely to save your life in an emergency.

  • Seconds count in preventing damage to heart muscle. EMS could save you an hour.
  • EMS equipment can often reverse cardiac arrest.
  • En route diagnosis and EKG forwarding allows faster hospital treatment.

For more information on Coliseum Heart Institute, call (478) 746-4646.

Our heart patients have access to an experienced team of physicians, nurses, clinicians and rehabilitation specialists.
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