You should only call 9-1-1 in EMERGENCIES – when you or someone else is seriously hurt or is experiencing life-threatening conditions. An emergency is any situation that requires the immediate assistance of a police officer, fire fighter or emergency medical services.

Emergency

  • Crime in progress
  • Fire
  • Breathing problems
  • Choking
  • Unconsciousness
  • Poisoning
  • Drowning
  • Stabbing
  • Gun shot wounds
  • Struck by vehicle
  • Child locked in vehicle

Non-Emergency

  • Minor accident (no injury)
  • Barking dogs
  • Burglarized property
  • Power outage
  • Drug sale
  • Loud parties
  • Weather and road conditions
  • Scores for sporting events
  • Runaways
  • Legal advice
  • Keys locked in vehicle (no child inside)

If your situation IS an emergency...

  1. Dial 9-1-1.
  2. Clearly state where you are.
  3. Calmly tell the operator which emergency agency you need:
    • Police
    • Fire
    • Ambulance/Emergency Medical Service
  4. Clearly state what your emergency is.
  5. Give your address AND the nearest intersecting cross street (very important for verifying the address) - example:
    • I live in Memphis at 123 S. Main Street near Union Avenue
    • I live in Collierville at 500 Poplar View Parkway near Civic Center Drive
    • If an address is not available, use landmarks such as billboards, mile markers, buildings, etc. to describe the location.
  6. Stay on the line - do not hang up until the operator has all necessary information.

The operator or an EMS dispatcher may ask you questions regarding the emergency or provide you with instructions for stabilizing a patient before an ambulance arrives. If possible, stay by the phone in case the 9-1-1 call-taker needs to call you back.

Dialing 9-1-1 on a cell phone


VoIP 9-1-1 service

If your situation IS NOT an emergency...
Please call the proper non-emergency number found in your phone book or through directory assistance. Calling 9-1-1 for a non-emergency ties up phone lines that could be servicing real emergencies - and is also against the law in many states.

Non-emergency phone numbers

You may also call 2-1-1 for information on how to contact resources to help you with a wide variety of non-emergency situations.

For information on road and traffic conditions in the area, call 5-1-1 or visit the 5-1-1 website.

When you Dial 9-1-1
When you dial 9-1-1 for a true emergency or by accident, do not hang up, your call will be answered. If the 9-1-1 center is busy you may be put into a holding queue and your call will be answered in the order it was received. If this occurs you will hear a recorded message stating this fact. If you hang up and call back this only delays receiving actual assistance. Every 9-1-1 call is answered.

If you call 9-1-1 and hang up before talking to a dispatcher, the dispatcher will probably attempt to call your telephone back. Repeatedly calling and hanging up only compounds the problem.

Some helpful ideas

  1. Write your address in large print on or near each phone in your home.
  2. Keep your phone at a level that is reachable if you are injured and lying on the ground - i.e., on a coffee table.
  3. A cordless phone offers mobility throughout your home but keep in mind that it will not work when the power is out.
  4. Make sure your address is on your mailbox and on the front of your home.
  5. Do not program 9-1-1 into your phoneNULLs speed dial function - it could be easily dialed by mistake.