“That’s part of the equation as they’re approaching the scene,” Hanson said. “As they’re en-route, they’re getting updates on the person’s condition, and when they arrive, if the individual is gasping for air, (for example), they’re going to be expeditious in evaluating it and getting it treated. Our goal is safety and assisting in the call.”

Night of the 911 call

When Ryan called 911 around 2 a.m. on Sept. 21, he said he was having trouble breathing after coughing up what he described as “large amounts of blood” that night after receiving radiation treatment a week earlier.

He said he had gone to urgent care Sept. 20 for the same problem, where he was told to call an ambulance to take him to the hospital if it happened again.

Internal bleeding is one potential side effect, Ryan said, of the radiation therapy he’s been getting on and off for the past two years for a recurring case of metastatic brain cancer.

After calling 911, he said, he went outside on his front porch to wait for the ambulance to arrive. Not realizing the safety alert would trigger a police response on a medical call, Ryan said he was surprised to see three officers walk up and call for him to approach them.