911 in
an Emergency
The best way to handle an emergency is to be prepared before one
happens. In the United States and Canada, the dispatcher will know
where you are calling from because of a system called “E 911,” which
means your address is known to the dispatcher right away, just by
you calling 911. It’s still a good idea to know the address and
phone number you are calling from in case the call is being made
from a place outside of the U.S. or Canada. The 911 operator must
know exactly where you are and how to reach you. The police, firefighters,
or ambulance crew need to know where you are to provide help for
the emergency. It's
important to make sure you are safe before you call 911. If your
home is on fire, for instance, leave the house before calling
911. You can always call from someone else's house.
You
may feel scared or nervous if you have to call 911. That's OK.
The emergency operators who answer the phone talk to a lot of
people, including adults, who are nervous or worried when they
call. Just stay as calm as you can. If you talk too fast, the
operator may have trouble understanding what's wrong and what
kind of help you need.
Speak
slowly and clearly when you explain what's happening. The 911
emergency dispatcher may ask you what, where, and who questions
such as these:
- What
is the emergency?
- What
happened?
- Where
are you?
- Who
needs help?
- Who
is with you?
- Are
you safe where you are?
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