If you’ve never called 911 before, you might feel nervous about having to do it. Especially if you’re experiencing an emergency that’s scary or unsettling, knowing when and how to call 911 can be hard to determine. But luckily, with emergency responders and police there to serve you, you can feel confident in your ability to successfully call 911 with the help of these tips.
To help you learn how this can be done, here are three things to consider before calling 911.
Is What’s Happening A True Emergency?
Before you make the decision to call 911, you first need to determine if what you’re witnessing or experiencing is a true emergency.
In a true emergency, you or someone else is going to be in immediate danger. If you weren’t to make the call to 911, you or someone else would likely lose life or limb. So if this is the case, calling 911 is necessary. For other situations, like if you can transport someone to the hospital or you’ve witnessed a crime that isn’t putting someone in immediate danger, there are other phone numbers that you can call to get help or offer a report to emergency responders.
Are You Calm Enough To Make The Call?
When you’re faced with a scary situation where you should call 911, it’s easy to feel very overwhelmed and even in shock about what is going on. In these circumstances, you might find it hard to keep yourself under control and stay calm. But if you want to be able to convey the right information to the 911 operator, you need to be able to speak calmly and clearly.
To help you do this, try to take slow breaths as you’re calling 911. This may help to clear your head and help you be better understood. Or, if you don’t have it in you to be able to speak on the phone to the 911 operator, all someone else’s who’s there to call 911 for you.
What Information Can You Provide?
When you speak to 911 on the phone, you need to be able to provide them with the initial
information they require to know how to help you. Otherwise, you may not be able to get the help you need as quickly as you’d like.
Some of the information that you should be ready to share with the 911 operator when you call is your exact location, what you see going on, what’s been done to help in this situation, and what other dangers might be present. You should also be prepared to give identifying information about yourself and anyone else involved in the situation.
If you want to be ready to call and speak with a 911 operator when you’re faced with an emergency, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare and have a successful call. Read more.
