When calling 911, determine if it’s an emergency or non-urgent situation. Call for life-threatening or property damage risks, and report fires. Clearly state the problem, location, and any landmarks, and follow instructions given by the dispatcher. Avoid calling 911 for non-emergencies, as it can divert resources from real emergencies.
The first thing to do when calling 911 is to determine whether or not the situation is an emergency. Police, firefighters, and medical personnel all have separate non-emergency phone lines for situations that need attention, but aren’t urgent. As a general rule, 911 should be called if someone’s life is in danger or there is a significant risk of property damage or loss. Keep in mind that call center staff will triage calls, so a heart attack will get an ambulance sooner than a broken leg in most cases, for example.
For minor medical emergencies, you should take the patient to the hospital yourself. Fires should always be reported, as they can spread in walls or under the floor and you may not be aware of the extent of the fire. A police dispatch line may be called for situations such as parking violations, minor burglary, vandalism, and so on. Ongoing crimes that threaten human well-being can be addressed through an emergency services number such as 911 or 999.
When someone in a call center answers, the first thing they will ask is what the emergency is. State clearly the problem, how many people are affected and indicate if anyone is in danger. For example, if you’re calling 911 because you’ve been in a car accident, you might say, “I’m at the scene of a car accident and I see four victims, one of whom doesn’t appear to be breathing.” This allows the call responder to instantly send a message to an ambulance so the crew can be prepared for the answer to the next question: location.
It is very important to state the location clearly, along with any useful landmarks. If you’re at an address, include the address along with additional information that can help emergency services find you faster, such as “it’s near the yellow house” or “we’re on the fourth floor, second door on the right.” This allows the dispatcher to dispatch emergency services to your location and move on to the next step, gaining clearer information about the situation.
You should be able to clearly state what happened or what is happening. If there are casualties, try to be specific about the injuries you see and whether or not they are breathing. The supervisor can tell you about rescue breathing and CPR if one of the patients seems to need it. Some of the questions asked by the dispatcher may seem strange, but they are meant to help. If you don’t understand a question, ask for an explanation or repeat. Follow all the instructions that the switchboard can give you and stay on the phone. When they call 911, they hang up first.
Many emergency services require dispatchers to call back phone numbers or send the police to the address linked to the phone number. This is why it is extremely unwise to call 911, as it can lead vital personnel away from real emergency situations. It is especially important to impress children with this information.
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