It was the first, but it won’t be the last. 

On Wednesday, Wake County residents got a chance to hear firsthand what’s about to change when they dial 911 as the county's EMS began a series of community meetings to discuss changes to improve service.

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The meeting was held at the Wake County Emergency Services Education Center, and was attended largely by county leaders and first responders. A handful of residents joined online, and in person. 

The goal was to take questions, and at least one citizen raised hard ones: Raleigh resident Lisa Shaffer. 

Shaffer asked whether EMS would ever refuse to send an ambulance, saying her family recently had to beg dispatchers to send one when her husband had a medical emergency. 

“The 911 nurse said my family member did not meet the requirements for an ambulance,” Shaffer said. “My children were there handling the call, and they called me and linked me in, and I could hear all the shouting. They had to beg and plead to get someone to send the ambulance out. I mean, it was terrifying.” 

EMS director Jonathan Studnek offered an apology, and said on rare occasions dispatchers can get the call wrong. 

“I need folks to know that if you're having a critical, time sensitive life safety issue, that, as we do today, we're going to be there quickly with well trained EMTs and paramedics,” said Studnek.  “We're going to do our best to provide excellent clinical care, and in those times that we need to, save a life, because that's what our folks do best.” 

WRAL News has been reporting on changes to Wake EMS’s response protocol for months, including prioritizing 911 callers who are facing the most life-threatening emergencies.

Studnek said, if you dial 911, it’s important to be as detailed as possible when you explain your emergency to the operator so first responders can prioritize those in severe danger.

"We get about 400 calls for service a day, which is one call every two or three minutes," Studnek said. "But sometimes those calls come in surges where we get five or six calls at one time. And sometimes the sickest person isn’t the first person to pick up the phone, it could be the fifth or the sixth."

Right now, Wake County EMS manages an average of 380 calls for service a day, yet only one out of every 10 people are facing an imminent danger.

Starting in phases in March, medically accredited dispatchers will ask 911 callers more questions over the phone before sending help. Those questions will help determine the type of care patients need.

"We want to prioritize the sickest patients in our community to make sure that they get the quickest response and that all other patients who call 911 have a reliable EMS response," Studnek said. "When we share that message, we know a lot of folks are going to have questions."

Another change coming to Wake EMS is fewer emergency lights and sirens. 

EMS leaders say lights and sirens can confuse drivers who don't know what to do, which can lead to more crashes.

"Lights and siren will still be used in time-critical emergencies, but studies have shown that turning them off when appropriate is safer for responders and the public," reads the Wake EMS website. "Even today, lights and siren are not used for every call."

Future meetings will also be held at the following times: