Hello, 9–1–1, what’s your emergency?
You made that dreaded call — and that’s step one.
The media has been abuzz recently with questions about our nation’s 9–1–1 system, following the untimely deaths of several well known celebrities. Is the system functioning properly? Are those charged with answering America’s 9–1–1 calls doing everything possible to help the caller? Could help have been provided sooner? WeSeeHSE Homeland Security professionals examine the 9–1–1 call intake process, review some commonly asked questions, and provide recommendations for how you and your loved ones can use the 9–1–1 system in the most effective manner.
An estimated 240 million calls are made to 9–1–1 in the United States each year. In many areas, 70 percent or more are from wireless devices. That percentage is expected to increase considerably as more and more Americans abandon residential landline service and replace it with with wireless technology. While wireline calls provide the majority of the critical call information necessary to process a 9–1–1 call and initiate an emergency response (address, town, phone number, and subscriber name), wireless calls do not. Whatever medium you use to contact 9–1–1, understanding the process by which critical call information is gathered and why 9–1–1 call takers ask the questions they do is imperative to anyone expecting the highest level of service from this vital link to public safety.
When you dial 9–1–1, your call is routed to the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point/9–1–1 Center) serving the township or municipality you’re calling from. If you’re placing the call from a wireline phone, the address, township, and phone number you’re calling from along with the name of the individual or business paying the phone bill ‘should’ show up on a 9–1–1 call taker’s computer screen. ‘Should’ because we don’t live in a perfect world, and on occasion, incorrect location information will appear on the screen. This is precisely why the 9–1–1 call taker will ask you to verify the address, township, and phone number you’re calling from.
In some cases, the call taker may ask you to verify the closest cross street or intersection to your location, as a secondary means of address verification. While it may seem unnecessary or a waste of time to verify all of the callers information (especially if they’re calling in from a wireline phone), this first step in the 9–1–1 information gathering process is a critical part of the first responder dispatch process. Wireless 9–1–1 callers are at a far greater disadvantage since the initial location information populating a 9–1–1 call taker’s screen is generally limited to the location of the cellular tower the 9–1–1 caller is connected to. Once the call is connected, more accurate location information can ‘generally’ be obtained from the cell tower, however the ability to request, update, and effectively process the new location information is limited to the technical capabilities of the 9–1–1 center in question. The safest bet, whether you’re calling from a wireline phone or a wireless phone, is to stay on the line with the 9–1–1 call taker until he/she tells you its okay to disconnect. Disconnecting prematurely or before all critical call information has been collected can result in you or your loved one not receiving the assistance they need.
Once all of the critical call information has been gathered, the 9–1–1 call taker is going to ask a few brief questions to determine the nature of your problem, after which he/she will decide what type of public safety response is warranted to address the issue at hand. Your cooperation, patience, and most importantly your ability to remain calm as you provide details of what’s going on to the 9–1–1 call taker will ultimately determine the speed of the response to your call. Yelling or screaming at the professional on the other end of the phone isn’t going to result in a more rapid response. 9–1–1 call takers know your situation is exigent, and in some cases horrific. They are trained to deal with people experiencing horrible situations. 9–1–1 call takers know this is your worst day ever. Help them help you by taking a deep breath, and by answering any questions they ask. Doing so will expedite the response to your problem.
If the person(s) you’re calling 9–1–1 about is experiencing a medical emergency, many times, 9–1–1 call takers can assist you in caring for them prior to the arrival of the ambulance. Many 9–1–1 Centers in the United States use some form of medical dispatch questioning during the call intake process, if a 9–1–1 caller reports someone having a medical emergency. Assistance with bleeding control, helping a person who is choking, providing CPR instructions, or assisting with the delivery of a baby are just some of the ways America’s 9–1–1 call takers assist the average citizen prior to ambulance or paramedic arrival. Those with little or no first aid background have made a considerable difference in the life of someone experiencing a medical emergency, with the assistance of a trained 9–1–1 professional.
9–1–1 call takers are truly the hub of public safety. The only role more critical in the emergency response process is the 9–1–1 caller. If you find yourself making the call, calmly and accurately provide the location of the emergency, along with the town or municipality in which its occurring, the phone number you’re calling from, your first and last name, and a description of what’s going on. These steps are imperative to the timely dispatch of trained emergency first responders. The questions a 9–1–1 caller is being asked by a 9–1–1 professional aren’t delaying a response. In many cases, first responders are dispatched and on the way in the first few moments following a 9–1–1 call.
Understanding the importance of your role in the public safety process and having a better understanding of how America’s 9–1–1 system works ensures a more rapid response by law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service professionals, and increases the odds of a successful recovery for those experiencing a medical emergency.
WeSeeHSE: Seeing, Sharing, Informing
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