If you own a television, you’ve seen them: amazing rescues from burning buildings, victims rescued from the bad guys, and lives saved in hospital ERs. From the comfort of your couch, you’ve seen the TV versions of real-life drama. The downside of these TV dramas is that they make emergencies seem very simple. Unlike in real life, TV problems are resolved in just an hour. But the upside of emergency shows is that people see what they have to do to get help.
The most important information to know in an emergency is a very simple phone number: 911. Even schools teach this number to small children at an early age. There are plenty of stories of kids as young as three years old making a 911 phone call that has saved a life.
The phone number is the same for fire, medical, and police emergencies: 911.
The phone number is the same from both landlines and cell phones: 911.
When a landline call comes in, the emergency dispatcher may be able to see the phone number and the exact location of the call, but not always. Calls from a cell phone may not display the same information. The most critical thing to remember when making an emergency call is to remain calm. It’s a matter of life and death. You must be understood when making this call. Because everyone tends to speak very quickly and excitedly when they are nervous or afraid, it can be even more difficult to understand second language speakers in an emergency. For this reason, it’s vital to remember the following instructions:
- Stay calm.
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Know what information the operator will need.
The operator will ask many questions so that she can get a good picture of the problem and send exactly the right kind of help. She’ll ask for essential information like: Who? What? Where? When? It’s important to answer all the questions slowly and clearly. Don’t worry; she’s not wasting time. Even while you’re answering her questions, the operator is contacting the right emergency system. You must stay on the line with the operator until help arrives. Do not hang up!
The 911 dispatchers are specially trained to ask very clear questions about the emergency. The dialogues below are examples of the kinds of conversations you may have. Remember, the operator will ask different questions as he or she learns about your emergency.
DISPATCHER: 911. What is your emergency?
CALLER: HELP! HELP! MYHOUSEMYHOUSE! HURRY! HELPME!
DISPATCHER: Ma’am, I can’t understand what you’re saying. Please calm down. What is your location?
CALLER: My house. It’s burning! There’s a fire in my house! Can you send a fire truck? Help!
DISPATCHER: What is the address?
CALLER: 123 Peach Street! Can you send a fire truck? Please help!
DISPATCHER: Help is on the way, ma’am. What room is the fire in?
CALLER: It’s in the kitchen. The curtains caught fire when I was cooking. HURRY!
DISPATCHER: Are you still in the house?
CALLER: Yes! Yes! I’m in the bedroom.
DISPATCHER: You must get out of the house right away. Can you do that?
CALLER: Yes, the door is right here.
DISPATCHER: Ma’am, go outside, but stay on the line with me.
CALLER: Okay, okay. I’m outside now. PLEASE HURRY!
DISPATCHER: Is there anyone else in the house?
CALLER: MY DOG! MY DOG! My dog is in the house!
DISPATCHER: Ma’am—Do NOT go back into the house. The fire trucks are on the way. The firefighters will find your dog.
CALLER: I hear the sirens! I can see the truck! They’re here! They’re here!
| Tip 1 |
There is no charge for 911 calls. They are free calls from landlines or cell phones. |
| Tip 2 |
Mistakes happen. If you dial 911 by mistake, do not just hang up. Stay on the phone until the dispatcher answers, and just say, “Sorry, I dialed by mistake.” If you just hang up, they may think there is an emergency at your house. |
Pronunciation Pointer
The letter groups augh and ough are very tricky in English.
They sound like aw. Caught sounds like cawt. Bought sounds like bawt. Taught sounds like tawt.
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VOCABULARY
caught fire: went into flames
cell phone: mobile phone
critical (also vital, essential): extremely important
dispatcher: person who sends police or other services where they are needed
display: show
ER: short form for a hospital Emergency Room, where emergency victims go
get a good picture: understand clearly
hang up: end a phone call after you’ve called a number
landline: a home (wired) telephone
location: place
matter of life and death: a situation of extreme importance
on the line: on the phone; do not hang up
on the way: traveling to the destination
operator: a person who answers phone calls for an agency or company
rescue: save from danger
resolved: settled
siren: the loud noise that goes with the flashing light on the top of an emergency vehicle
version: type, kind
victim: someone who is hurt in some way
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