You are in your home and illness or an accident occurs.  You do as you have been instructed and CALL 911. The Firefighters and Paramedics arrive and begin medical care for you.  They also start asking you and/or your family members what seems to be a tremendous amount of questions.  (What is your Medical History? What Medications do you take? How Much? When?  Do you have any Allergies?) How can you remember all of this information? Emergency workers need this important information in order to treat you as quickly and efficiently as possible.  What can you do?

 Charlotte County Fire & EMS and Englewood Fire Department recognize this problem and that’s why the New Red Dot Program was created.  This information is not only extremely helpful in medical emergencies but when a call is made to law enforcement agencies for assistance as well.   This quick and easy Red Dot Medical Information Form is filled out before an emergency occurs.  The top page, (yellow), of the form is then placed in a magnetic pouch on the front of your refrigerator.  The second page, (pink),  is mailed into 911 Dispatch for data entry.  (Self addressed envelopes included in package)  Dispatchers enter pertinent information into a computer which at the time of an emergency will alert responders to important information even prior to arriving on scene.  A 2 inch self adhesive Reflective RED DOT is placed on the entry door, just above the door knob.   The Red Dot and dispatchers will alert emergency workers that the Red Dot Medical Information Sheet is in place in the home on the front of the refrigerator.  The information sheet is transported with you to the hospital and copies are provided for the emergency room staff as well.  Englewood Community Hospital participate in this program and the hospitals are providing the funding for this program.