What happened?
su-CHES-so — double 's' gives a sharp sound. 'Cosa' — KO-za.
The dispatcher will ask you this. Also use it yourself when arriving at a scene to quickly assess the situation.
'Cosa è successo?' = what happened? — 'successo' is past participle of 'succedere' (to happen). A crucial question in any emergency. Prepare a clear answer: describe what happened, the victim's condition, and any visible injuries. The dispatcher needs this to assign the right resources.
È caduto dalla scala.
He fell from the ladder.
Describe the mechanism of injury — essential for dispatch
Ha avuto un malore improvviso.
He had a sudden illness.
'Malore' = sudden illness/collapse — non-specific but urgently communicates severity
È stata investita da un'auto.
She was hit by a car.
Road accident victim — triggers multi-agency response (118 + polizia)
Head injuries ('trauma cranico') in Italy are taken very seriously — even if the person seems fine, they are transported to hospital for observation. The 118 dispatcher will instruct callers not to move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (fire, drowning). Italian ambulances carry spinal immobilisation equipment ('collare cervicale', 'barella spinale') for trauma cases.