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Medical or Mental Health Emergency


A medical emergency may exist for many reasons including trauma, alcohol or other drug overdose, serious mental health issues, or medical conditions like diabetes or cardiac arrest.

  • Call 911
  • Do not move the person unless they are in immediate danger
  • Provide first aid if you are trained to do so
  • Reassure the person that help is on the way

Students (or anyone concerned about a student):  Consultation regarding medical and mental health concerns is available by phone at all times. Call Cornell Health at 607 255-5155.

Faculty, staff, post-doctoral fellows and associates, retirees, spouses/partners of employees:  Consultation with a counselor is available by phone at all times.  Call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at 607 255-2673.

If you are immediately concerned that someone may harm themselves or others, call 911.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free, confidential mental health hotline that connects individuals in need of support with counselors across the United States and its territories. People do not have to be suicidal to call. Reasons to call include: substance use disorder, economic worries, relationships, culture and identity, illness, intimate partner violence, depression, mental and physical illness, and loneliness.

To access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 988 or text 988 or use the 988 online chat service. For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.

HEART ATTACK – Know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack

  • Chest Discomfort: Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  • Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.  Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
  • Other signs may include: breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
  • If you or someone with you might be having a heart attack CALL 911
  • Stay calm
  • Send someone to get the nearest Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)