911 is for emergencies only!

“911 – what’s your emergency?” isn’t just a question you hear on the television or in a movie. If you’re ever in an emergency, it’s the first question you will be asked by a communications operator on behalf of first responders such as police, paramedics, and fire services. Emergencies can happen at any time but it’s also important to know what an emergency consists of and how to navigate one.

While firefighters arrive on scene to save lives, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) communications operators, also known as 911 dispatchers, are the first point of contact during an emergency. Their calm and helpful guidance as well as their empathy, has saved lives. The role of a 911 dispatcher is crucial and it’s a job many of us will never see. This National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week and every single day, we thank them for their dedication and commitment to keeping everyone safe.

MFES has a few tips and best practices for consideration in case you find yourself in an emergency. Remember to:

• Dial 911 if a home or building is on fire or if you see or smell smoke. Make sure you get to a safe place.
• Stay calm and answer questions as clearly as possible.
• Follow instructions provided by staff. They are trained to handle difficult situations.
• Tell the 911 dispatcher your exact location, especially if you are calling from a cell phone. To find your exact geographic location, especially in a remote area, use the compass on your cell phone to get the latitude and longitude co-ordinates or use the What3Words app.
• While on the call, do not hang up – the 911 dispatcher may ask you for more information.
• If you cannot speak, try tapping on the phone to respond.
• For Mississauga residents, remember to dial 311 for municipal government concerns, 811 to get answers to general health questions and concerns, and 211 for community-based health, social and government services.

According to Peel Region, in 2023, the 911 call centre received 906,124 calls. Forty-three per cent of these calls were accidental or non-emergency calls. MFES encourages residents to take the time to learn more about when to call 911 and when not to call for 911, because in doing so, the region can help those in need, faster and more efficiently. Don’t be the person who ties up the phone lines with a non-emergency.

The future of 911

To help make the emergency communications experience easier, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services will implement components of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) in 2025. NG9-1-1 will make it possible for callers to provide additional details about emergency situations. This new technology will eventually allow the transfer of digital data from bystanders or sensors at the scene, including audio and video, photos and texts, data from medical devices, car sensors at crash scenes and building alarms. This will lead to safer, faster, and more informed emergency responses.

For more information about Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, visit mississauga.ca/fire.

Tags

• Fire and Emergency Services
• Public Safety