How to Call 911: What to Say, Giving an Apartment Location, Text to 911 and Teaching Kids

Quick answer: call 911 for any situation where someone’s life, health or property is in immediate danger. Stay calm, give your exact location first, including building entrance, floor and apartment number, then say what happened. Answer the dispatcher’s questions, follow their instructions and do not hang up until they tell you to. If you cannot speak safely, text 911 where it is available; the FCC’s rule of thumb is “call if you can, text if you can’t.” If you dial 911 by mistake, stay on the line and say it was an accident.

Calling 911 is something most people hope never to do, and in the moment, stress can make even simple details hard to remember. In a big apartment building, getting help to the right door quickly depends on clear information. This guide is part of our emergency first aid guide for city households, and it explains exactly what to say, how Text to 911 works, and how to prepare your household ahead of time.

Sources: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidance on 911, Text to 911, Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act dispatchable location rules; National Emergency Number Association (NENA) public education materials; 911.gov from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National 911 Program; local 911 agency guidance. Procedures vary by area, so check your city or county’s 911 website.

When to Call 911

Call 911 when there is an emergency that needs police, fire or emergency medical help right away, such as:

• Someone is not breathing, unresponsive, choking or having a seizure
• Signs of a heart attack or stroke
• Severe bleeding, burns or injuries
• A fire, smoke or the smell of gas
• A crime in progress or someone in danger
• A serious car crash

If you are not sure whether it is an emergency, it is better to call. Dispatchers are trained to help decide what kind of response is needed.

For non-emergencies, such as noise complaints, a minor crash with no injuries or a past theft, many cities use 311 or a police non-emergency number. Save your local non-emergency number in your phone. For possible poisoning with no serious symptoms, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; our guide to when to call Poison Control explains the difference.

What the Dispatcher Will Ask

Each 911 center has its own procedures, but dispatchers commonly ask:

1. Where is the emergency? Location comes first because it lets help start moving even if the call drops.
2. What is happening? Describe the situation briefly.
3. Who needs help? How many people, their ages and their condition.
4. Is the person awake and breathing? For medical calls.
5. Your phone number, in case the call is disconnected.
6. Are there any dangers? Such as fire, weapons, dogs or downed power lines.

Answer as clearly as you can. If the dispatcher is asking questions while help is already on the way, that does not slow the response. In many centers, one dispatcher sends responders while another keeps talking with you.

Giving a Location in a Big Building

In a city, a street address alone may not be enough. Large buildings can have multiple entrances, towers or wings, and responders need to know exactly where to go.

When you call, give:

• The full street address, including building number or name
• The entrance or door to use, especially if the building has several
• The floor and apartment or unit number
• Any access codes, buzzer numbers or whether a doorman or security desk is on duty
• Landmarks if you are outside, such as the nearest cross street, business or subway entrance

How phones share location

Modern cell phones can share an approximate location with 911 centers automatically, and FCC rules have pushed carriers to provide more precise location, including vertical location in multistory buildings. Still, an automatic location may not be accurate enough to identify your exact apartment. Always say your location out loud.

Office and multi-line phones

Under Kari’s Law, multi-line phone systems such as those in offices and hotels must let users dial 911 directly, without first dialing a prefix like 9, and must notify a front desk or security when a 911 call is made. RAY BAUM’S Act rules require these systems to send a “dispatchable location,” such as a street address plus floor and room number, when it is technically feasible.

Text to 911

Text to 911 lets people send a text message to emergency services in areas where it is available. It is especially helpful for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled, and for situations where speaking would be dangerous, such as hiding from an intruder.

How to use it

1. Enter 911 in the “To” field of a new text message.
2. In the first message, give your location and the type of help you need, such as police, fire or ambulance.
3. Send it and respond to the dispatcher’s questions.
4. Keep messages short and simple, and avoid abbreviations, slang or emojis.
5. Stay with your phone until the dispatcher says the conversation is over.

Things to know

• Text to 911 is not available everywhere. If it is not available, you should receive an automatic bounce-back message telling you to call instead.
• Location information from a text may be less precise than from a call.
• Do not send group texts to 911, and do not include others in the message.
• Photos and videos usually cannot be received.
• Texts can take longer than calls, so call when it is safe to do so.

The FCC sums it up as “call if you can, text if you can’t.”

Accidental 911 Calls

If you dial 911 by mistake, do not hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher it was an accident. If you hang up, the dispatcher may need to call back or send someone to check on you, which uses resources that could be needed elsewhere.

Most smartphones have an emergency SOS feature that can call 911 when you press buttons in a certain pattern. Learn how this works on your phone so you understand what triggers it, and adjust the settings if you are making accidental calls.

Calling From a Phone Without Service

FCC rules require wireless carriers to connect 911 calls from any mobile phone, even one without an active service plan. However, a phone without service may not be able to receive callbacks, so the dispatcher cannot call you back if the call drops. Give your location right away.

Language Help and Accessibility

You can call 911 in any language. Say the name of your language and stay on the line while the dispatcher connects an interpreter. Many 911 centers use interpretation services that can join calls quickly.

People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled can use Text to 911 where available, TTY devices, relay services or real-time text (RTT) on compatible phones.

Setting Up Your Phone Before an Emergency

A few minutes of setup can help responders:

• Medical ID or emergency information: both iPhone and Android phones can show medical information and emergency contacts from the lock screen. Add allergies, conditions, medicines and blood type if you know it.
• Emergency contacts: add at least two people.
• Emergency SOS: learn how your phone’s SOS feature works and whether it shares your location with your contacts.
• Local registries: some areas offer optional services that let you share household information, such as medical conditions or pets, with 911 centers. Check your city or county website.

Helping Responders Find You

While you wait:

• Turn on outside lights at night.
• Send someone to meet responders at the entrance and hold the elevator if it is safe.
• Leave your door accessible if it is safe to do so, so responders do not have to force it.
• Secure pets in another room.
• Gather the person’s medicines or a list of them.
• Keep the phone line free in case the dispatcher calls back.

Following Dispatcher Instructions

Dispatchers are trained to give instructions over the phone for many emergencies. They may coach you through CPR, bleeding control or helping someone who is choking. Put your phone on speaker so your hands are free.

If someone is not breathing normally, the dispatcher will likely guide you through chest compressions. Our guide to Hands-Only CPR and AED basics explains the steps so they feel familiar. For a suspected stroke, note the time symptoms started; our guide to stroke warning signs explains why that detail matters.

What Happens After You Call

Knowing what to expect can make the wait feel less chaotic. Once the dispatcher has your location and the basic nature of the emergency, responders are usually sent right away. The dispatcher may keep you on the line to gather more details, which are passed along to the crew while they travel. In a medical emergency, you may hear questions about the person’s age, breathing, color and level of alertness. These help the crew prepare and decide what equipment to bring up to the apartment.

In many cities, more than one type of responder may arrive. A fire engine sometimes reaches a medical call before the ambulance, because firefighters are often trained in emergency medical care and may be stationed closer. Police may come to calls involving violence, crashes or unclear situations. Do not be alarmed if the response looks bigger than you expected.

When responders arrive, tell them briefly what happened, what you have done and any changes you noticed. Hand over the person’s medicine list if you have one. If the person is taken to a hospital, ask which one, and write it down so family members can find them.

Calling for a Neighbor or a Stranger

Many 911 calls in cities come from bystanders: someone hears a smoke alarm next door, sees a person collapse on the sidewalk or notices a fire in another building. You do not need to know the person to call. Give the most precise location you can, explain what you saw or heard and stay available to answer questions if it is safe.

Do not assume someone else has already called. In a crowd, people often wait for someone else to act. If you are unsure, call. Dispatchers would much rather receive several calls about the same emergency than none.

Teaching Children to Call 911

Children as young as preschool age can learn when and how to call 911.

• Teach them that 911 is for emergencies, when someone is hurt, sick and cannot wake up, or in danger, or when there is a fire.
• Practice with a toy or unplugged phone, never by calling 911 as a test.
• Help them learn their full address and apartment number.
• Show them how to make an emergency call from a locked phone.
• Teach them to stay on the line and answer questions.
• Tell them it is OK to call if they are scared and unsure.
• Post your address near the phone for babysitters and guests.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Hanging up before the dispatcher says to
• Giving only a street name without a building or apartment number
• Calling 911 to check if your phone works
• Assuming someone else has already called
• Driving a seriously ill person to the hospital when an ambulance is needed, particularly for heart attack or stroke symptoms

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I call 911 or drive to the emergency room?

For symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, severe bleeding, trouble breathing or a serious injury, call 911. Paramedics can start treatment right away and alert the hospital.

Is Text to 911 available everywhere?

No. Availability depends on your local 911 center. If it is not available, you will usually get a message telling you to call instead.

Can I call 911 from a phone without a plan?

Yes. Carriers must connect 911 calls from mobile phones even without service, but the dispatcher may not be able to call you back.

What if I do not speak English?

Call 911 and say the name of your language. The dispatcher can connect an interpreter.

What if I dialed 911 by accident?

Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher it was an accident.