One Number for Any Emergency

[1] The 9-1-1 service is a special phone number. People in the United States and Canada can call 9-1-1 if they need emergency help. This service was created in 1968 to help people in dangerous situations get help quickly.

[2] Before 9-1-1, people would have to remember different phone numbers for different types of emergency services. For example, the phone number for the police was different from the phone number for the fire department. This was confusing. It often wasted valuable time in an emergency. But with 9-1-1, people only need to remember one number to get help fast.

[3] In fact, statistics show that calling 9-1-1 can save lives. According to the National Emergency Number Association, 240 million 9-1-1 calls are made in the United States each year. That's a lot of people. And they are all getting the help they need in an emergency.

[4] There is one more thing to remember. 9-1-1 is easy to use, and sometimes that's a problem. Sometimes kids think it's fun to call 9-1-1 as a joke. It's important for kids to know that 9-1-1 is only for real emergencies (for example, if someone is hurt or there's a fire). Kids should also know their home address and phone number, so they can tell the 9-1-1 operator where to send help.

[5] Overall, the creation of the 9-1-1 service was a really important step in helping people stay safe. Thanks to 9-1-1, people in the United States and Canada can get emergency help quickly and easily, no matter where they are.

Other Special Phone Numbers:

• 2-1-1 community information
• 3-1-1 non-emergency municipal services (such as reporting potholes or graffiti)
• 4-1-1 directory assistance (for phone numbers you don't know)
• 5-1-1 traffic and travel information
• 7-1-1 telecommunications relay service for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• 8-1-1 digging or excavation services (to prevent damage to underground utilities)