Why do they ask
me so many questions?
The call taker is required
to ask many questions in order to give responders an accurate picture of
your situation. It is important to understand that when an
emergency is being reported, responders are usually already on the way
while you are on the phone.
The call taker needs to ask
the basic 4W’s for every call: Where, what, who, and when. The first
two questions of every 911 call are, “911, what’s the address of the
emergency?” and “What’s the phone number you are calling from?”
Where: This
includes more than just the address. An apartment number, floor, suite,
a business name, or the color of your house, will make it easier and
quicker for responders to find you.
What: This is the
basic “bottom-line” of why you are calling.
Who: This is to
identify suspects in crimes, especially if they just left. This will
aid officers responding to be on the look out for the suspects. Things
like age, race, height, weight, clothing description, and vehicle
description.
When: This is when
or approximately when the incident occurred. Incidents occurring in
progress are a higher priority than incidents that happened long ago.
Emergency Medical Calls
When you call to report a
medical emergency, your call will be processed by a professional
emergency call-taker with specialized training to deal with crises over
the phone. This call taker will be able to provide real-time
instruction in CPR, severe bleeding control, child birth, as well as
other life-saving first aid techniques.
There are four universal
questions that the call taker will ask in order to put their knowledge
and experience to work for you quickly and effectively after the address
and callback number has been verified.
The call taker will then
ask questions about the patient’s specific condition. This aids the
dispatcher to determine if a paramedic (advanced life support) is needed
and if the responders need to use lights and sirens.
Getting this critical
information from the caller typically takes less than 30 seconds. In
all cases, remember the most important thing you can do when calling
9-1-1 is to listen carefully and do exactly what the call taker asks you
to do.
Police and Fire Calls
Depending on the incident,
the call taker may need to ask for specific types of information.
Police Calls
REMEMBER: DO NOT GO
BACK INSIDE FOR ANY REASON IF YOU ARE REPORTING A FIRE.
Be prepared to tell
firefighters where any hazards or trapped people are.
If you have difficulty
recognizing if you should or shouldn’t use 9-1-1 to report your
incident, dial 9-1-1.
Children and 911
Remember to discuss with
your children when and how to call 9-1-1 on all phones (rotary, touch
tone, and cell). Never refer to 9-1-1 as nine eleven because this
phrase may confuse a child because there is no eleven on the telephone
keypad.
