Be Ready When You Call 911

When you call 911, WCCCA’s highly trained dispatchers ask specific questions to get help to you as quickly and safely as possible. While you're answering, help is already being dispatched in the background—these questions don’t delay the response.

Being prepared with accurate information can save valuable time and improve safety for you and for first responders.

If You Have a Medical Emergency

Our dispatchers will ask:

• Where is the emergency? (Include apartment or specific location if needed.)
• What’s your phone number?
• What exactly happened? (e.g., “My mother fell and cut her leg” or “I’m having chest pain.”)

Once that’s established, we’ll continue with questions to help responders prepare:

• Are you with the patient?
• Approximate age of the patient?
• Are they having trouble breathing?
• Is the door unlocked for responders?
• Are there pets, and can someone secure them?

Note: Help is already on the way while you answer.

If You Have a Law Enforcement Emergency

You’ll be asked:

• Where is the emergency? (Again, include apartment/location if applicable.)
• What’s your phone number?
• What happened? (e.g., “A man just waved a gun at me” or “Someone is running in and out of traffic.”)

We may also ask:

• Are weapons involved?
• Has anyone been assaulted?
• Does anyone need medical help?
• Is anyone intoxicated or high?
• Where are the people involved? (e.g., in the house, outside, in a car)

We’ll then gather more detailed information such as names, ages, clothing, and if anyone has left, their direction of travel.