Excerpt from Kids Health by Nemours

Emergencies don’t happen very often. But when they do, you want to get help fast. No one wants to spend time looking up the phone number. That’s why 911 was created — to make it easy. In the United States, dialing 911 on your phone is the fastest way you can get help for yourself or someone else.

Not too many years ago, people had to find the right phone number in an emergency. Today, it’s as simple as dialing 911. With those three numbers, you can reach the fire department, the police, or an ambulance. When you call 911, an emergency operator — called a dispatcher — immediately connects you to the person you need.

Speak slowly and clearly when you explain what’s happening. The 911 emergency dispatcher may ask you what, where, and who questions such as these:

• What is the emergency?
• What happened?
• Where are you?
• Who needs help?
• Who is with you?
• Are you safe where you are?

If you do have to call 911 in an emergency, be sure to stay on the phone. Do not hang up until the 911 operator tells you it’s OK to do so. That way, you can be sure that the operator has all the information to get help to you fast!