911 help
Emergencies don't happen very often. But when they do, you want
to get help fast. No one wants to spend time looking up the phone
number. That's why 911 was created - to make it easy. In the United
States and Canada, dialing 911 on your telephone is the fastest
way you can get help for yourself or someone else.
Not
too many years ago, people had to find the right phone number
in an emergency. If there was a fire, people phoned the fire department.
If there was a crime, people called the police. If someone got
hurt, an ambulance had to be called. Finding a number for any
of these emergency workers could be very confusing - especially
if a person was in a hurry or in an unfamiliar area.
Today,
it's as simple as dialing 911. With those three numbers, you can
reach the fire department, the police, or an ambulance. When you
call 911, an emergency operator, called a dispatcher, immediately
connects you to the person you need.
Other
countries may use another three numbers. In Great Britain, for
instance, it's 999. If you're not sure which emergency number
is used in your area, check your phone book. |
