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What Is 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is a number that has been established in the United States to give people a quick and easy-to-remember number to dial for emergencies. By law, you can call 9-1-1 for free from any wireline or wireless telephone. 9-1-1 service is provided to everyone who needs it, and has proven to be the best and fastest way to get help in emergencies.
It is estimated that over 200 million calls to 9-1-1 are made every year in the United States. Over 99% of the United States of America is covered by some kind of 9-1-1 service, so help is just a phone call away. Your local 9-1-1 can either put you in touch with the appropriate emergency agency, or in most consolidated 9-1-1 centers, can directly dispatch the help you need.
Kinds of 9-1-1
There are two basic kinds of 9-1-1, basic and enhanced. Basic 9-1-1 service provides a single answering point for emergency calls. With Basic 9-1-1, you must provide information about your location and phone number.
Enhanced 9-1-1 (also called E9-1-1) adds to the help Basic provides by using equipment that automatically gives your location and phone number. This helps if you are unable to talk or get disconnected—9-1-1 can send emergency units to your location, and can call you back for further information.
How 9-1-1 Is Paid For
9-1-1 service, as important as it is for the public good, does cost money. Special equipment is necessary to process 9-1-1 calls, as is expert professionals trained in saving lives. In most of the United States, 9-1-1 service is paid for by phone subscribers as part of their regular phone bill. On your bill, you may see it listed as "9-1-1 Service", "Emergency Number Service", "Emergency Telecommunicator Service", or something similar. Phone companies even pay for 9-1-1 service on coin phones. The money goes to keeping your local 9-1-1 service available, staffed properly, and well-trained to help you.
History Of 9-1-1
Alexander Graham Bell's first call to his assistant reportedly came after accidentally spilling battery acid on his clothing. "Mr. Watson, come here! I want you!" Even with that very first telephone call, it was clear how useful the telephone would be in getting help.
In 1957, the National Association of Fire Chiefs suggested that a single number be established to report fires. It was a good suggestion, and it found its way to the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice some ten years later. The Commission recommended that a single nationwide number be established for reporting any kind of emergency, and the recommendation was backed by numerous organizations and agencies. With all that support, the Commission then turned to the Federal Communications Commission for their help.
The FCC contacted AT&T, who began examining the existing phone number prefixes for one that was easy to remember, had never been assigned to a telephone number, and would not compete with the numbering plans established by the telephone companies of the time. That number turned out to be 9-1-1, and AT&T announced its nationwide availability in 1968. The announcement was backed by Congress, who enacted legislation to enforce the use and protection of 9-1-1 across the nation.
The first 9-1-1 call came shortly after on February 16, 1968. Senator Rankin Fite made that first call to the 9-1-1 service in Haleyville, Alabama through the Alabama Telephone Company. Six short days later, 9-1-1 service was implemented in Nome, Alaska, and continued to spread slowly across the United States.
Today, most of the nation is served by some kind of 9-1-1 service, and 9-1-1 service has even spread to our Canadian neighbors. 9-1-1 has counterparts in other countries—our British friends were the first to offer an emergency call service back in 1937 with their equivalent 9-9-9. Our neighbors in Mexico dial 0-6-0 for help. 9-1-1 even has a "spin-off" number, 3-1-1, designed to provide non-emergency public information and help reduce the number of calls to busy 9-1-1 centers.
When To Call 9-1-1
In short, call 9-1-1 whenever you have an emergency. If you aren't sure that you have an actual emergency, call 9-1-1 anyway—a 9-1-1 operator can help you if it is an emergency, or advise you what to do if it isn't.
Calling 9-1-1 immediately can't be stressed enough. Time is precious in any emergency, and the quicker a call to 9-1-1 is placed, the faster help can be sent. Plus, 9-1-1 operators are trained to provide lifesaving instructions and support until emergency units arrive. 9-1-1 can even walk you through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help you keep someone alive until an ambulance can take over.
Always call 9-1-1 yourself if you can. Many people will call a friend, family member, employer, or other party and ask them to call 9-1-1 for them. Not only does this waste precious time, it makes it more difficult for help to find you.
When Not To Call 9-1-1
9-1-1 exists to help people in emergencies. Any time you need the fire department, the police, or an ambulance, call as soon as possible. But every non-emergency call to 9-1-1 takes seconds away from a caller who truly needs help. By wasting 9-1-1 resources, you could be causing someone to lose their life or property. 9-1-1 exists to help as many people as possible. But there are some things that 9-1-1 can't do for you, and shouldn't be called for:
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Information
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9-1-1 can't tell you what time the local baseball game starts, how to become a firefighter, or what's on channel 47. If you have a non-emergency question that can be answered by someone other than 9-1-1, chances are it should be. |
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Directory Assistance
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The phone number information 9-1-1 maintains is confidential, since it includes both published and nonpublished numbers. Giving that information out to the general public would be breaking the law. Calling directory assistance (411 for most people) is your best option for finding a telephone number. |
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Government Information
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Many people call 9-1-1 to get numbers for corrections facilities, probation officers, the FBI, even the White House. These agencies usually have no affiliation with 9-1-1, and do not provide contact information. Look for that information in the appropriate section of your phone book. |
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Just To Talk
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9-1-1 operators are generally friendly folks, but they need to be available to help callers in need. If they're chatting with you, they're unable to help someone else. |
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As A Prank
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Think a prank call to 9-1-1 is funny? Think again. You're tying up an operator that may be saving another person's life. And abuse of emergency services, including prank/false 9-1-1 calls, is a punishable crime that many 9-1-1 centers actively prosecute. |
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Traffic Jams and Traffic Signal Problems
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Being stuck in heavy traffic is frustrating, but the best thing you can do is be patient, drive very cautiously, and plan ahead for delays by leaving earlier. When accidents happen, be assured that emergency units are working as quickly as possible to clear the roadway and resume normal traffic flow. You should also know that some locations use a special system that changes the normal action of traffic lights to control traffic flow (often, you'll see one direction is green while the others are red). Being able to control traffic in this manner is important for the safety of the emergency responders, and makes it easier for them to get traffic flowing again. If you think a traffic light is truly malfunctioning, contact your local public works department. |
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Utility Outages
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Being without cable TV, telephone, or electricity is annoying, but for most people it truly isn't an emergency. The best thing to do is call your utility provider and explain the situation to them. Call 9-1-1 if the situation involves an emergency, such as a patient whose medical equipment isn't working without power, electric lines exposed or presenting a fire hazard, a natural gas leak, etcetera. |
What To Do When Calling 9-1-1
• Be Patient - 9-1-1 answers your call as quickly as possible, but there are times when so many calls come in that there simply aren't enough phone lines available to answer them all. Calls going into a 9-1-1 center are answered in the order received, and you should remain on the line until someone can answer your call. To answer calls as quickly as possible, it may be necessary to place you on hold while another call is answered. Stay on the line until the operator comes back—hanging up and calling back just puts you "back at the end of the line".
• Be Calm - It's not easy to stay calm in a crisis—being in an emergency can make even the most sedate person go into hysterics. But remaining as calm as possible can help 9-1-1 get the right help to you as quickly as possible. Visualization exercises might help here—imagine yourself in a horrible emergency, then imagine calling 9-1-1. Visualize how calm you will be with the person on the other end, how attentive you will be to what they are asking and instructing you to do. Then when the time comes and you need help from 9-1-1, you'll remember how calm you were and will be able to do it again. And you'll know that you're doing your part to help 9-1-1 help you.
• Speak Clearly And Slowly - A call to 9-1-1 is often filled with noise, from bad connections, malfunctioning telephones, people in the background, even activity in the 9-1-1 center. It helps to speak clearly and slowly, so that 9-1-1 can get the proper information to send the right help.
• Answer Any Questions - A 9-1-1 operator will ask you specific questions to determine what kind of help you need and how to get it there quickly and safely. Some of the questions a 9-1-1 operator asks might sound strange or irrelevant, but they are very important. Many people call 9-1-1 and refuse to answer questions, saying "Just get them here!" That's dangerous, both for you and for the emergency professionals coming. If you don't cooperate with 9-1-1 and answer their questions, you are turning down help that might make the difference between life and death for you or a loved one.
• Tell The Truth - Any questions should be answered honestly and completely. Even if you're embarrassed by the emergency or scared, it's important that 9-1-1 know all the facts so they can get you the right kind of help. And don't try to get a "better" response by exaggerating or lying. Not only can this keep someone from getting the help they desperately need, it can land you in jail with a hefty fine to boot. (Making a fraudulent 9-1-1 call in Mississippi can get you a $5000 fine and a year in jail, and that's just for the first conviction.)
• Stay On The Phone - Never disconnect from a 9-1-1 call until the 9-1-1 operator says you can. In many situations, it is crucial to remain on the line. As long as that line is open, any changes in the situation can be relayed to emergency units. And remaining on the line allows 9-1-1 to help you manage the situation until those units arrive. If you should ever have to leave the phone, such as when in imminent danger, lay the phone down but do not hang up. 9-1-1 can still monitor the things going on in the background and work with responding units to help you better.
One thing to know about 9-1-1 is that most centers use equipment that allows them to talk to units over the radio while on the line with you. While a 9-1-1 operator speaks to their units, you may hear silence on the line, and you may think the operator has hung up. The operator is still on the line and can hear you the entire time, so don't hang up! A 9-1-1 operator will never disconnect from an emergency call without warning the caller first.
Preparing For A Call To 9-1-1
• Know Where You Are - Even with Enhanced 9-1-1, it's sometimes impossible to tell where you are. You should always know your 9-1-1 address (which may not be the same as the one the Post Office gives you) and the number you are calling from. When visiting friends, write down their 9-1-1 address and keep it with you until you leave. Be sure you know what floor you are on, your apartment or building number, and where units need to enter your property at. Being prepared with a cross street or landmark helps, as does exact directions to your location (such as "eight tenths of a mile west from Madison Church Of Christ, look for the mailbox painted like an American flag, we're in the tool shed at the rear of the property"). If you're traveling, be aware of what street or highway you're on, in what compass direction you're going, and what exits or landmarks you can see—knowing the mile marker is even better.
A handy tip for calling in emergencies while driving: if you pass an accident or other emergency, quickly take note of the mileage on your odometer. Drive to the nearest landmark, such as a highway exit or cross street, and note the difference in the mileage. Subtract the two, and you have the exact distance from the landmark to where the emergency is. Give that information to 9-1-1, and they know exactly where to send help.
• Know What Is Going On - You should always call 9-1-1 immediately, even if you aren't sure about the details of an emergency. Tell what you know about the emergency with that first call. If you can, find out exactly what is going on and call 9-1-1 back from a safe place to give additional information. The more information you can give to 9-1-1, the more emergency units can do to help you. But never do anything to put yourself in danger.
• Stay Where You Are - Emergency units can't help you if they can't find you. Remaining at the location you called from makes it possible to get help to you quickly. Never try to transport yourself or someone else to a hospital or emergency room—that's dangerous to everyone involved. A patient in a moving vehicle can't be helped by anyone, and you risk an automobile accident while trying to hurry to the hospital. If the patient gets worse while you're on the road, you've denied yourself the critical help that 9-1-1 can provide. Plus, many areas have first responders (typically a local fire department or volunteer EMR's) that can arrive much sooner than the ambulance and perform basic life support. First responders can get to you faster than you can get to a hospital. And those precious seconds may mean the difference between life and death. The only time you should leave the place you called from is when you are in immediate danger, or when 9-1-1 advises you to do so.
Teaching Your Children About 9-1-1
A lot of children call 9-1-1, and there are notable cases where a child's call to 9-1-1 has saved someone's life. 9-1-1 can help children just as it helps adults, but they need to know when and how to call. Some things to teach your child:
• Your child's name, the full names of their parents (not just "Mommy" and "Daddy"), and their home address. Perhaps the easiest and most important thing to teach your child is his telephone number—if your child knows nothing else, knowing his telephone number can save time and grief in reaching a family member.
• How to dial 9-1-1, and when to call. An unplugged phone makes for a great practice tool for learning how to dial 9-1-1, without the risk of making an actual call. Show your child how to hold the phone so they can be heard clearly. Many children are taught when to call 9-1-1 by school education programs, but you should still teach them what an emergency is (and what isn't an emergency). They should know that prank calls can hurt other people, and should understand that they might need 9-1-1 themselves.
• Always teach your children not to be afraid of 9-1-1. Your 9-1-1 is a friend to them, and 9-1-1 operators are trained to handle child callers with patience, concern, and friendliness. Teach them that they should call 9-1-1 if there is any doubt as to whether they have an emergency—9-1-1 can help them if they do, or explain to them why they don't have an emergency.
Foreign Language/Hearing-Impaired Callers
Just because you speak a language besides English or cannot hear doesn't mean you aren't entitled to 9-1-1 service. Most 9-1-1 centers now handle multiple languages, either through bilingual telecommunicators or through a third-party translation service. And all 9-1-1 centers are required to accept TTY/TDD calls from hearing-impaired callers. In either situation, don't hang up—it might take a moment (and perhaps some silence or clicks) to switch your call to the person best able to help you.
What If I Accidentally Call 9-1-1?
Accidental calls happen, and many callers simply hang up out of embarrassment. But even more embarrassing is when police officers show up to see who called and why. Many 9-1-1 centers are required to dispatch units to investigate "hangup calls", and this ties up resources that could be better used protecting lives and property. If you make a call to 9-1-1 by mistake, simply stay on the line and let the operator know that it was an accidental call.
Cellular 9-1-1 Calls
Probably the greatest problem facing 9-1-1 today is the use of cellular phones. Callers from wireless phones enjoy the same benefits from 9-1-1 as do people calling from wireline phones, and also pay for 9-1-1 service on their bills. But wireless calls to 9-1-1 may cause two specific problems:
• Calls to 9-1-1 may not route to the closest 9-1-1 service, causing emergency response to be delayed or not received.
• Wireless calls may not transmit the caller's phone number and/or location, making it impossible to know where to send help if the caller can't give that information.
The Federal Communications Commission has enacted legislation to encourage cellular providers to make phone number and location information available to 9-1-1 centers, but there are still a lot of delays in implementing this lifesaving change. For more information about the problem, visit the FCC site at http://www.fcc.gov/911/enhanced/.
APCO is a major force behind implementing the changes that will make it possible to help both wireline and wireless callers. See what we're doing to help people everywhere by visiting the APCO International, Inc. site at http://www.apcointl.org/about/gov/wireless.html.
Why Is 9-1-1 Hyphenated?
Putting hyphens in 9-1-1 helps remind people that these are single digits. You'd be amazed at how many people still believe the number is "nine-eleven", even now that 9-1-1 service is widespread across the nation. Hyphenating the numbers prevents confusion with area codes and other dialed numbers. And it's great for people from foreign countries, who may be familiar with another emergency number or not have emergency number service at all.
Although 9-1-1 hyphenation was used long before September 11, 2001, it now helps to distinguish the tragic events of 9/11 from the 9-1-1 heroes who saved countless lives that day.
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