The government of Saskatchewan has put out some reminders for people to recognize so they can know the best practices for calling 911 in the case of an emergency.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency's Sask911 operations help connect people to emergency call takers. This service is currently available from landlines and payphones in the province and from cellphones and wireless devices which are in range of a cell tower.
When making a 9-1-1 call, the province asks that you be prepared to describe the type of incident you are reporting and the location of your emergency. They also ask that you provide the phone number you are calling from, along with your name.
The province also gave tips for some of the different situations where you might need to call 911 or teach others about the service.
If you spot a fire, call 911.
- Contact 9-1-1 immediately to report a wildfire.
- Be prepared to give the call-taker the location of the fire.
Teach young people how and when to call 911
- Teach them to stay calm, answer the operator's questions and remain on the line.
- Have them memorize your address and phone number.
- Stress the importance of calling 911 only when it's a real emergency.
Misuse and accidental 911 calls
- Prank calls are a serious abuse of the Sask911 system and will be investigated.
- If emergency vehicles are dispatched for no reason, the prank caller may be liable for the costs involved.
- If 9-1-1 is accidentally dialled, stay on the line and do not hang up. Be prepared to answer questions from the call-taker.