Livingston County
Sheriff's Office   New York

Important: If you’re not sure whether the situation is a true emergency, officials recommend calling 911 and letting the call-taker determine whether you need emergency help.

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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

• 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 quickly.

Be prepared to follow any instructions the call-taker gives you. The dispatcher can tell you exactly what to do to help in an emergency until help arrives, such as providing step-by-step instructions to aid someone who is choking or needs first aid or CPR. Finally, do not hang up until the call-taker instructs you to.

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Disconnected 911 Calls 

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 send responders to your location. Instead, simply explain to the call-taker what happened.