Calling 911 is a life skill that can help protect you, your friends, your family, and your community during an emergency. A 911 call connects you with trained dispatchers who can send police, firefighters, or emergency medical services to the right location. Knowing what to say helps responders arrive faster and with the right equipment.
This matters in health emergencies, fires, severe weather, accidents, and dangerous situations.
Key Facts
- Call 911 only for emergencies that need police, fire, or medical help right away.
- Say your exact location first: address, room number, landmark, or nearby intersection.
- Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you it is okay to hang up.
- Answer questions clearly and follow instructions, even if help is already on the way.
- If you cannot speak safely, call 911 and stay connected so the dispatcher may be able to listen and trace information.
- For poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, but call 911 first if the person is unconscious, not breathing, or having a seizure.
Vocabulary
- Emergency
- An emergency is a serious situation that needs immediate help to prevent injury, danger, or major damage.
- Dispatcher
- A dispatcher is the trained person who answers a 911 call, gathers information, and sends the correct responders.
- First responder
- A first responder is a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, or other trained helper who arrives early in an emergency.
- Location
- A location is the exact place where help is needed, such as an address, school name, room number, or intersection.
- Shelter in place
- Shelter in place means staying indoors or in a safe area and following emergency instructions until it is safe to leave.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Hanging up too soon is wrong because the dispatcher may still need details, safety updates, or confirmation of your location.
- Giving only a general location is wrong because responders need the exact place, such as the building entrance, floor, room, or landmark.
- Calling 911 for a nonemergency is wrong because it can delay help for people in real danger.
- Arguing with the dispatcher is wrong because their questions and instructions are designed to keep people safe and send the right help quickly.
Practice Questions
- 1 A student calls 911 from a school with 3 buildings, 2 floors in each building, and 12 classrooms per floor. How many possible classroom locations could responders need to identify if the caller only says the school name?
- 2 During a storm, you count 4 fallen power lines near a street and 2 people trapped in a car. List the first 3 pieces of information you should tell the 911 dispatcher, then number them in the order you would say them.
- 3 A friend falls during sports practice, is awake, and has a sore wrist but no bleeding or trouble breathing. Explain whether this is always a 911 emergency, and describe what information you would gather before deciding what adult or service to contact.