WHEN TO CALL 911

According to the Urban Survival Life Safety Program, fire personnel respond to over 130,000 calls for assistance each year.  Most of these calls are responded to in less than five minutes.

Only Call 911 to Report:

• Fires
• Serious Crimes
• Serious Medical Conditions
• Situations that require immediate response of Police, Fire or Emergency Medical Personnel.

What the 911 Operator Needs to Know:

• Address of the emergency
• Phone number you are calling from
• Nature of the emergency

Be prepared to answer questions and receive instructions.  Stay calm, speak clearly, and do not hang up until you're told to do so.

Emergency Vehicles & You

When an emergency vehicle has its lights and siren on, it is responding to an emergency.  It is the law and your responsibility to:

• Pull to the right side of the road and STOP until the emergency vehicle has passed.
• Give all emergency vehicles the right-of-way.
• Keep back at least 500 feet from an emergency vehicle when it is responding with lights and sirens.
• Do not drive over fire hoses.
• Drive carefully around an emergency scene.

At the Emergency:

• Have someone wait at the street to direct the fire and police departments to the emergency.
• If you are a witness to the emergency, stay at the scene to provide emergency personnel with information.
• If you are asked to move or leave the area, DO IT! The firefighters and police officers are looking out for your safety.
• Remember, things can become very hectic in an emergency. Firefighters and police officers need to do their job in a safe way.

Some Other Tips:

• Make sure your address is visible from the street.
• Keep areas around fire hydrants clear of parked cars, fences, bushes, tall weeds and debris.
• Keep bushes, trees, grass and weeds cut or trimmed to avoid the chance of brush fires.
• If you have security bars on your windows, make sure they are fitted with inside quick releases.