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911 Calls

Five Worst Reasons to Call 911

911 was created as a universal American emergency number to summon police, ambulance, or fire service help. According to The National Emergency Number Association (NENA), approximately 200 million 911 calls are made in the U.S. each year. 911 is meant for emergencies. There are certainly times when you should call 911 rather than go to the doctor. It's also important to know how to be a good 911 caller. Unfortunately, not every call to 911 is an emergency. Some callers are seeking information rather than help. Others are simply abusing the system. In fact, in every state, it's illegal to call 911 without an emergency.

Here are my picks for worst reasons to call 911:

Testing to See if the Phone Works
Getting the Number for the Police Department
To Ask the Police-Fire-Ambulance Agency a Question
Teaching Kids to Call 911
To Get a Cat Out of a Tree

When Should You Call 911?

Medical Emergencies That Just Can't Wait for the Family Doctor

Some folks are afraid to call 911 because they are unsure whether their medical condition or complaint rises to the level of an emergency. Calling a physician for advice is a good place to start, but physicians aren't always readily available and many will end up telling patients to call 911 anyway.

There are specific conditions that should not wait for a call back from the family doctor before calling 911. These medical conditions are time sensitive—waiting too long could have serious consequences, even death. Additionally, there are protocols in place to ease the transition from the ambulance to the hospital emergency department. A family physician will probably not have the tools necessary to treat life-threatening events in his or her office.

When experiencing one of the following conditions, call 911 immediately:

Anaphylaxis
Bloody diarrhea with weakness
Chest pain (see heart attack)
Coma (unresponsive victim)
Confusion
Dizziness
Drug overdose
Heart attack
Heat stroke
Shortness of breath
Sudden slurred speech
Stroke
Sudden blindness (see stroke)
Uncontrolled nosebleed
Vomiting blood
Weakness
Serious burns
Bleeding that will not stop
Bleeding with weakness (shock)
Broken bones visible through an open wound
Broken leg

To Call 911 Effectively

Calling 911 is very stressful and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. 911 call-takers are trained to guide callers through the experience, but knowing what to expect can help make the 911 call go smoothly and get emergency help where and when it's needed.

Know the difference between calling 911 from a landline phone and calling 911 on a cell phone. Know when to call 911 and the worst calls to 911. If you choose to call 911, know what to expect and how to react