05/31/2026
Things to know when calling 911
1. Know your location or at least something close. Location data transmitted during the call is not always accurate and is considered a secondary tool in finding you during your emergency.
2. 911 is for life threatening emergencies. If it is not life threatening, look up the non emergency numbers for services in your area. Sure, the same operators may take the call but how the calls are routed and prioritized is important. Do not use valuable limited resources if it is avoidable.
3. The call taker will have questions. Be prepared to answer. The call taker isn’t trying to inconvenience you or accuse you of anything. All of these questions can affect how emergency services respond. I promise they understand you are upset but they are trying to help the only way that they can.
4. If you call accidentally, don’t hang up. Stay on the line and let the call taker know it was a mistake. You won’t get in trouble. If you don’t stay on the line or answer when they try to call you back, then police will be sent out to the area to see if they can locate anything. This is wasting already limited resources that could be responding to someone else’s real life threatening emergency.
5. Many times if the dispatch center needs to call you back it will be from an unknown number or a number that registers as spam. Answer it! If you know you have called for emergency services, answer that phone. They could be having difficulty finding you or need additional information.
6. When you call, be prepared to talk to the call taker. Continuing to argue with someone in the background is not going to make anyone respond any quicker.
7. Call takers and dispatchers are attempting to get you the help you need in the fastest way that they can. Arguing with them or repeatedly yelling “send them” does not speed up the response.
8. Call takers and dispatchers may sound disinterested. It doesn’t mean that they are. Quite the contrary. They often times care too much and carry your traumatic event as their own. Do not mistake their professionalism for apathy or a lack of sympathy.
9. Response is often prioritized as life over property. Because of this, your call may not be dispatched immediately. Be patient and emergency services will respond.
10. Although 911 is a national number, it’s not national call takers. You will get call takers and policies specific to the area you are in. If you need emergency services in a different city, you need to be transferred and the call taker will likely have to research that number. Be patient or skip the middle man and call the city you need directly.
