Lucas County 911
Regional Council of Governments

Calls should be made to 911 in time of a true emergency. Do call 911 if you develop symptoms requiring emergency assistance such as:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

If you think you have been exposed to the Coronavirus, or you have symptoms such as a fever or cough, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you do not have a healthcare provider, contact your local health department for instructions. If it is available in your area, call 211/311/411 for general information about how your community is addressing the pandemic.

Learn more about when to call 911
Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources for 911

Many 911 call centers follow protocols that guide callers through a sequence of questions to quickly obtain information necessary for dispatching the right responders to the right location. Call-takers may also provide instructions about what to do until help arrives. Even though protocols are designed to help call-takers reassure callers and take charge of the situation, the experience can be stressful for a 911 caller who is not accustomed to dealing with emergencies. When you call 911, be prepared to answer the call-taker’s questions, which may include:

• The location of the emergency, including the street address, and room/apartment number, if you’re in a large building
• The phone number you are calling from
• The nature of the emergency
• Details about the emergency, such as a physical description of a person who may have committed a crime, a description of any fire that may be burning, or a description of injuries or symptoms being experienced by a person having a medical emergency

Remember, the call-taker’s questions are important to get the right kind of help to you as quickly as possible. Be prepared to follow any instructions the call-taker gives you. Many 911 centers can tell you exactly what to do until help arrives, such as providing step-by-step instructions to aid someone who is choking or needs first aid or CPR. Do not hang up until the call-taker instructs you to do so.

Calling 911 by sending a text message is increasing across the United States, and efforts are underway to receive text messages at call centers nationwide. If you need emergency assistance, it is always best to call 911 if you can, and text if you can’t.

Even if text-to-911 services are available in your community, a voice call remains the best way to reach 911. If you send a text message to 911, but text-to-911 services are not available in your community, you should receive an immediate bounce-back message from the wireless provider telling you that the text message was not delivered. For more information about text-to-911 go to 911 quick facts.

If you dial 911 by mistake, or if a child in your home dials 911 when no emergency exists, do not hang up – that could make 911 officials think that an emergency exists, and possibly send responders to your location. Instead, simply explain to the call-taker what happened.