Calling or Texting 911

 

When to Call 911

911 call takers are trained to help with such emergencies as:

• Serious medical problems
• Vehicle accidents
• Fires
• Crimes in progress
• Life threatening situations

What to Expect

911 call takers are trained to ask questions relevant to your particular emergency. Your answers will help determine the right level of care needed for your situation. Be ready to:

• Give the location of the emergency. If you don’t know the address look for landmarks, street signs or buildings.
• Provide phone number you are calling from
• Describe the emergency or problem
• Be patient, stay calm, and speak clearly throughout the call

When not to call

Use 9-1-1 for Emergencies Flyer

 

Tips when Contacting 911

• Study your surroundings. The dispatcher may need more specific information, including landmarks and cross streets, for responders to locate you.
• Do not hesitate to call 911 if you or someone else is facing a situation that may pose an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment. Text 911 if it is not safe to call.
• 911 is a 24-hour service and all calls are free. Sometimes it takes time to route the call to the correct answering point. Do not hang up. If you become disconnected, call back.
• To help responders, put your house/apartment/condo number on your front, outside wall.
• To aid responders, compile critical information and put it in a safe place known to other family members or close friends. Include an updated record of the following information for everyone living in your household: name, phone numbers, contact numbers, doctors’ phone numbers, allergies, and blood type.
• Post your phone number and address by the telephone or on the refrigerator. It is not uncommon to forget your address or phone number during an emergency situation, especially if you have recently moved. A child might not remember this information unless it is written down. Emergency responders cannot help you if they cannot find you.
• If you have trouble answering the dispatcher’s questions or following his or her instructions, and you are not alone, hand the phone to someone else in the room who is able to do so.
• Do not disconnect until the dispatcher says it is OK for you to end the call.
• If you call 911 by mistake, do not hang up. When the call is answered, tell the dispatcher the call was made accidentally and there is no emergency. Otherwise, emergency help may be sent unnecessarily.

Text to 911

Call if you can, text if you can’t. Calling provides background sounds and context clues to aid call takers and emergency responders.

Texting 911 is ideal if:

• The caller is deaf or hard of hearing
• The caller has a speech disability
• It isn’t safe to call 911
• The caller is having a medical emergency and cannot talk on the phone

How to Use Text to 911

Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” field

• Type 911 in the to field and explain what is happening in your text. Include your location.
• Use simple words and do not use abbreviations, slang or emojis
• Do not send your emergency text to anyone other than 911
• Do not send videos or pictures

Cautions

• Voice calls are real-time communication. Text-to-911 is not. As with all text messages, texts to 911 may take longer to receive, can get out of order, or might not be received at all.
• Location information will be limited to the cell tower that your phone is communicating through. A 911 call taker will not automatically know where you are.
• While all wireless phones can call 911, texting 911 requires a text or data plan.
• Please, do not text and drive!

More information is available on the 911 Center page.

What to Teach Children About 911

The following is a list of tips to help you prepare your children in the event they need to call 9-1-1:

• • • Teach your child to dial “nine-one-one.” Do not use the term “nine-eleven” since there is no eleven on the telephone keypad.
    • Explain the purpose of 911 and use examples to illustrate when they should call 911.
    • Discuss with your child scenarios that are more likely to occur in your home or with friends or relatives. For example, Grandma has a heart condition, and Dad is allergic to bee stings.
    • Make sure your child knows their address and phone number. Teach through repetition or use a creative song or rhyme.
    • It is also important for your child to know their full name and the names of their parents/caregivers.
    • When not at home, teach your child to look at their surroundings if they do not know the address. Street signs, an address on a piece of mail, and street numbers on a building, house or curb can all provide useful information.
    • Ensure there is at least one phone in the home that your child can access. Make sure they how to dial 911 using a landline and a cell phone, since both are common. Demonstrate how to hold a phone and speak clearly so they can be understood. Practice using both types of phones by making a call to a family member or friend.
    • Instruct your child to go to a trusted neighbor’s house before calling 911 in the event of a dangerous situation like a burglar or a fire.
    • Let your child know that they can trust the dispatcher and to answer all of their questions, providing as much information as possible.
    • Tell your child to stay on the line and keep talking to the dispatcher until they are told to hang up.
    • Do not allow your children to play with a phone that has a working battery. Even when the phone’s service has been disconnected, you are still able to dial 911 and reach a dispatcher.
  • Make sure your child knows what to do if they accidentally call 911. They should tell the dispatcher it was an accident and there is no emergency. The call taker may ask a few questions to make sure they are OK and do not need help.