Call 911 For Help

Nearly all of Greater Cincinnati can seek help for an emergency by calling 911.  If you live in an area not covered by 911, please commit the emergency number(s) to your community emergenc y medical services (EMS) and fire and police to memory.

When you call 911, the operator will likely ask you four questions to get help on the way.

• What’s your emergency?  911 operators also answer calls for fire and police emergencies.  If you answer that there is a victim not breathing, they can sort your call as an EMS emergency and prioritize it appropriately.

• At what address is the emergency?  The 911 operator has, on his/her computer screen, the address from where you are calling.  This is simply to confirm the location of the emergency.  In some cases, the caller is not at the scene of the emergency.

• From what phone number are you calling?  If the call is disconnected prematurely, the 911 operator may need to call you for more information.

• Who are you?  Again, if more information is needed, the operator may need to contact you. Often a first name is enough information.

The 911 operator can initiate the dispatch of police, fire, or EMS with your answers to the above questions.  Often the operator will stay on the line with you to obtain additional information about the emergency to relay to responders and assist you until EMS arrives.  This can include instructions for performing CPR or an array of other instructions to help you help the victim.  Emergency responders often arrive to find the caller still on the phone with the 911 operator and/or performing life-saving measures as directed by the 911 operator.

Some emergency calls are initiated by a cell phone call.  There are two differences in calling 911 with a cell phone.  First, the 911 operator will not have the address of your call—if you have a newer cell phone, the dispatcher may have GPS coordinates to pinpoint your location to within about 300 ft in any direction.  This can be the size of a city block in some neighborhoods.  Second, your cell call always transmits through the closest cell tower.  Often, the closest cell tower is in a neighboring jurisdiction and transmits your call to a different 911 Center.  If you use a cell phone, it is important know your location in the event your call needs to be transferred to a closer 911 dispatcher.