by Melony Grove

Created on: December 03, 2010

Everyone hopes that they will never have to call 911; however, should you ever find yourself in need of emergency services, will you know what to do? As a former 911 Training Supervisor for a mid-size call center, I would like to offer some helpful tips on what you need to know when you call 911.

The first and most important thing you need to know when you call 911 is your location. Seems simple, right? People are always on the go. We drive to and from work, to and from the grocery store, to and from the homes of friends, relatives, and loved ones. Think about your route of travel when you go to work. You travel the same roads every day. You know where you are and where you’re going. But do you REALLY know? Do you know the road names? Cross streets? Block numbers? If you had to tell someone how to find you, could you do it? You may be thinking, “No, but my cell phone has GPS. If I get into an accident, 911 can just trace my cell phone and find me.” Well, yes and no. Some centers are more high-tech than others, but most centers may only be able to trace your location using latitude and longitude to the nearest 100 feet. Some centers may not be able to trace it at all. Technology is a wonderful thing, but it is not always foolproof. Locators can fail, and the screen that displays your information to the 911 center may not always come up. These instances are rare, but technology does fail from time to time. If your life, or that of a loved one, depended on help getting to you in time, every second counts, and knowing your location saves time and gets you help faster. Be as specific as possible. “About a half mile south of the big red barn” may work for a smaller communications center or local sheriff’s office, but if you are calling a larger center that needs to enter your location into a computer and send it to the emergency responders, such a description may not be as helpful as you would like it to be. Know the street name, intersection, or address. Remember, in an emergency, every second counts.

Along with knowing your location, it is helpful to know your municipality, which is the city, township, or borough you are currently in. Some call centers dispatch by municipality, and could potentially have the same street name in more than one area. For example, “123 Main Street” could be located in several different municipalities or cities covered by the same call center. It is helpful to know which one you are referring

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