Have you ever found yourself in an emergency? Did you call 9-1-1 for help? For decades we have learned the basics of when and when not to call 9-1-1. But we usually learn at a young age and never really discuss it again until a situation arises where we might need help.
With many accidental calls occurring
daily around the country, we decided to bring it back to the basics and review
when and when not to call 9-1-1. Before we do that, let’s review the definition
of an emergency in the dictionary: a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous
situation requiring immediate action. To take that a little further, an
emergency, in our case, is when an event occurs that requires police,
firefighters, or an ambulance.
When to Call 9-1-1
- When lives are at risk (examples include a medical emergency, a severe car accident, or a fire, to name a few)
- When you need the police, fire department, or paramedics
When Not to Call 9-1-1
- As a game or joke
- When there is NOT an emergency (Be careful not to accidentally dial 9-1-1 when you stick it in your back pocket.)
- As practice
Once you call, the first question most
9-1-1 call-takers will ask you is, “What is the location of your emergency?”
Without this critical piece of information, they are unable to route emergency
services to you. Make sure if you are calling, you always know your location.
You might not always know the specific address, but anything you can provide to
help get emergency services to you quickly can help. Some examples include
knowing cross streets, landmarks, and
mile markers too.
What are some
other numbers you can call for help?
What a great question! Maybe you
require assistance in another way. Here is a list of resources that can help
you in other ways:
Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
National Alliance on Mental Illness
(NAMI) Helpline 1-800-950-(NAMI)
(6264)
