United States

Emergency numbers

Reviewed 2026-07-26

Use at your own risk. Educational and research use only, not medical advice. Verify numbers and rules for the country you are in. They change. Before you rely on these cards in practice, review them with a medical professional or a fire safety specialist. Disclaimer

Do this first

Dial 911. It works from any phone in the United States, including a locked one, and the dispatcher sends police, fire or EMS.

911 is one door for police, fire and medical emergencies nationwide. The dispatcher decides who responds, so you do not need to know which service you need. For a suicide or mental health crisis, 988 answers around the clock, and Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 connects you to a poison control center.

Step by step

Say where you are first. Street address and city, cross streets, a landmark, or the location your phone shows. Cell calls do not always locate you precisely.
Say what happened in one sentence. A fall, a fire, a crash, chest pain.
Say how many people are hurt and whether anyone is unconscious or not breathing.
Give your phone number so the dispatcher can call back if the line drops.
Do not hang up. The dispatcher tells you when the call is finished, and if you dialed by accident, say so instead of hanging up.
Follow the instructions exactly, including chest compressions if you are asked to start them.
Send someone to the street to wave the responders in, and unlock doors and gates.

Never do this

Do not hang up before the dispatcher says you can, even after an accidental call.
Do not use 911 for questions that can wait. 311 handles city services in most larger cities, 988 handles mental health crises.
Do not assume somebody else has already called. Ask out loud and confirm it.

Call emergency services if

Someone is unconscious, breathing abnormally, or not breathing at all.
Chest pain, sudden weakness on one side, sudden confusion or trouble speaking.
Bleeding that soaks through dressings, a serious fall, a fire, or a crash.

Common questions

Can I text 911?

In many counties yes, and it is the right choice when speaking would put you in danger or you are deaf or hard of hearing. Send the location first. If text-to-911 is not available where you are, you get an automatic bounce-back telling you to call.

Does 911 work without a signal from my carrier or without a SIM?

The call goes through on any available network, not just your own. Phones without service can usually still reach 911, though the dispatcher may not be able to call you back, so say your number early.