The East Midlands Ambulance Service is anxious that it suffers delays in getting to emergency calls at a time when speed is vital.


Dave Kent, operations resource manager for the Lincolnshire division of the service said, “Our crews have difficulty finding the location of the patient quickly when road signs are dirty or have graffiti on them or if the house we are looking for is not clearly numbered.


“So we’re asking people to spend five minutes this week checking their road sign and to give it a clean if the name is not visible. Putting up a clear house number which will be visible from the roadside will also mean we can find you much faster.”


He also advised that where p[ossible someone should stand at the roadside to wave down an ambulance; turn lights on at night so the house stands out; store contact details for someone who knows your medical history in a mobile phone as ICE, for In Case of Emergency; call 999 only in an emergency - otherwise call you GP, Minor Injuries Unit, Pharmacist or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.