911 – Emergency or not?

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When is it important to call 911?

How many times in your life have you ever called 911? If you have, how did it feel? Was it comforting to have a calm voice on the other end guiding you through?

The true definition of an emergency that you should call 911 for are as follows, (according to the Winnipeg Police web site):

  • Any crime in progress (break & enter, robbery, etc)
  • Any situation where people or property are at risk (fire, children on ice, etc)
  • Any medical emergency (heart attack, accidental poisoning, etc)

People reporting incidents that are NOT real emergencies tie up the 911 emergency line.

This can obstruct people with real emergencies from reaching help. Here are some tips on how you can minimize your family’s chances of inadvertently dialing 911, and how to handle it if you do:

  • If you accidentally dial 911, do not hang up.

    If you hang up, a ring-back will occur and this wastes valuable time. Stay on the line to advise the operator that you have dialed by accident, and answer any questions they may have.

  • The Safety Factor encourages parents to teach children that the telephone is not a toy on which to make prank or “pretend” calls.

    Practice emergency scenarios with them so they learn how to handle a call to 911 and understand what constitutes a real emergency – and when to call 911.

  • Do not pre-program 911 into your home, business or wireless phones’ memory.

    Wireless phones on belts or in purses generate many false 911 calls every day without the owner’s knowledge. If your cellular phone has a keypad lock option, this is an excellent way to ensure you won’t accidentally dial 911 and other telephone numbers without your knowledge.

  • Do not allow children to have access to deactivated cell phones.

    Although deactivated, these phones can still be used to dial 911, mistakenly or otherwise.