Guidelines for Contacting 911

Initiate a call if there's any inkling of a potential emergency. 911 should be reserved for urgent situations, as EMTs, police, or other responders may be needed elsewhere. However, if uncertainty surrounds whether your circumstances warrant 911, proceed with the call. It's preferable to err on the side of caution. Don't hesitate to call in scenarios such as:

• A fire outbreak that's beyond control.
• An ongoing burglary, assault, or criminal activity.
• An automobile collision or similar accident.
• A severe injury scenario (excessive bleeding, signs of shock, etc.).
• An individual experiencing a medical crisis (e.g., heart attack, stroke, or seizure).

Place a 911 call from any telephone. To connect with a 911 dispatcher, simply dial the digits “9-1-1” on any functioning phone and remain on the line. You can even utilize an inactive cell phone to initiate the call.

• 911 operates within the US and Canada. If you're in a different region, you'll need to dial a distinct emergency number. For instance, in Australia, dialing 911 redirects your call to 000, while in the United Kingdom, it's 999.
• Although text capabilities are expanding, they remain severely limited. If you require assistance from 911, it's still advisable to make a call rather than sending a text.
• If you typically utilize specialized access services (such as TTY) with your phone, contact your service provider to ascertain the most effective method for reaching 911 during an emergency.

Respond to the dispatcher's inquiries. The dispatcher will prompt you to describe the emergency situation. Remain composed and answer any queries they pose. Rest assured that the dispatcher is actively working to dispatch aid to you. Even if it seems like they're taking up time, their questions are intended to facilitate the quickest possible assistance. They've likely already dispatched aid and require additional details to update first responders. You may need to provide information such as:

• Your address or specifics regarding your location
• Your telephone number
• A description of the incident
• Clarification on who requires assistance (yourself, someone accompanying you, or a stranger)
• Details concerning the issue (e.g., whether an injured individual is unconscious or bleeding)
• Whether you're currently safe or still facing danger

Adhere to the dispatcher's directives. Stay on the line until the dispatcher advises you to hang up. They may issue instructions for you to follow. Adhere to these instructions diligently as they can prevent further complications and even save lives (including your own or others'). The dispatcher may provide instructions such as:

• Administering first aid
• Performing CPR
• Relocating to a safer area

Counteract the bystander effect. In situations where you're rendering assistance at the site of an accident, injury, or other incidents, crowds may gather and observe. If you're unable to place a 911 call yourself, pinpoint a specific bystander and instruct them to dial 911.

• Making a general request for the crowd to dial 911 is unlikely to be effective due to the bystander effect. This phenomenon entails individuals assuming that someone else will make the call, absolving them of the responsibility.
• Assigning the task to a specific individual will prompt them to take action.

Handle accidental calls to 911 appropriately. In the event of an accidental call to 911, whether by yourself or someone else (e.g., a child), refrain from terminating the call abruptly. Hanging up may lead the dispatcher to presume a genuine emergency, prompting them to dispatch assistance. Instead, remain on the line and calmly inform the dispatcher that the call was made in error.

Reserve 911 calls for genuine emergencies. While it's crucial to dial 911 in real emergencies, using it for non-urgent matters overwhelms the system, potentially delaying assistance for those in urgent need. Examples of non-urgent situations include:

• Power outage issues (contact the power company)
• Malfunctioning fire hydrants (use the fire station’s non-emergency number)
• Burst pipes (call a plumber or water company)
• Transportation to medical appointments (consult with the doctor regarding transport options)
• Pet-related concerns (reach out to a veterinarian instead)
• Pranks or curiosity-driven calls

Maintain a list of essential (non-)emergency numbers for easy reference. In addition to 911, ensure you have the non-emergency contact details for local police and fire departments, poison control (1-800-222-1222), a physician and/or hospital, towing service, etc. Save these contacts in your phone and display a list of numbers in a readily accessible location, such as on the refrigerator.

• If you have children, include contact information for parents or guardians and their workplaces.
• Depending on your circumstances, consider including numbers for suicide prevention, addiction recovery, mental health support, or other relevant services.

Establish an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact. Designate a person to be contacted in case of an emergency or serious injury. Providing this information allows responders to inform the contact about the situation.

• Create an ICE card with the contact information and keep it in your wallet.
• Store the information in your phone.
• If your phone is locked, set a screenshot of the ICE details as your lock screen image for accessibility by responders.

Familiarize yourself with alternative emergency numbers when traveling abroad. While 911 is the emergency number in the US and Canada, other countries have different emergency numbers. For example, in Europe, it's 112. If you're traveling abroad, research the relevant emergency numbers for your destination. The US State Department’s website provides a helpful list of emergency numbers for various countries worldwide.

If your call to 911 gets disconnected, take measures to signal your location to the arriving police, such as illuminating lights or sounding your car horn.

• Absolutely refrain from making false emergency calls. False reports endanger those in genuine need of urgent assistance. Making hoax calls to Emergency Services is unlawful and may result in fines or imprisonment in certain jurisdictions.