- Home
- Departments
- Fire Department
- Public Education Links
Public Education Links
Kids Fire Safety: For fire safety games and learning tools,
visit Sparky the Fire Dog Website
Brought to you by the National 911 Education Coalition.
To best respond to an emergency situation, call takers, dispatchers and first responders need your help. Familiarize yourself and those living or visiting your home with the following tips to ensure that the 9-1-1 call taker will be able to process your emergency call efficiently and send assistance as quickly as possible.
9-1-1 Needs to Know Where to Go:
- When calling 9-1-1, one of the first things you'll be asked to provide is the location of the emergency you're reporting.
- The call taker may not automatically know your location or may ask you to confirm it.
- Make sure you provide as much detail on your location as possible, such as landmarks, cross streets and mileposts.
Know Your Cell Well:
- The current 9-1-1 system is design for voice communications only.
- Texting 9-1-1 is not an option in most locales; you must dial 9-1-1 and speak with a call taker.
- Pull over when driving if possible. This reduces the chance of a dropped call.
- Lock your keypad when you're not using your phone so 9-1-1 isn't dialed by mistake. For the same reason, don't put 9-1-1 on speed dial.
- Do not give old phones to children as toys. A wireless phone with no active service can still call 9-1-1.
- If you accidentally call 9-1-1, stay on the line and tell the call taker that you do not have an emergency.
- Calling 9-1-1 from a cell phone is always free and it is never necessary to dial an area code.
9-1-1 Is for Emergency Use Only:
- Call 9-1-1 for emergencies only. It is appropriate to call 9-1-1 when you need to save a life, stop a crime or report a fire.
- 9-1-1 is the right number to call in an emergency when a prompt response is needed.
- If you are not sure you have an emergency to report, call 9-1-1 and let the call taker decide.
Know How to Use 9-1-1 With the Phone You Own:
- Before you need help in an emergency, be sure to understand how the type of phone you use affects your call to 9-1-1. It is important to know the capabilities of the device you are using (landline, cellular, VolP).
- Cell phones may not automatically tell 9-1-1 where you are so be prepared to provide detailed information about your location.
Remain Calm, Be Prepared:
- Try to stay calm, give information and follow all instructions.
- Professional call-takers are trained to get information from you. Listen carefully and answer as concisely as possible.
- Remember that even if the dispatcher is still asking questions or giving instructions, help is on the way.
Help 9-1-1 Help You:
- The more you know what to expect when you call 9-1-1, the faster 9-1-1 can get you the help you need.
- You can save a life! Follow all instructions the 9-1-1 call taker gives you, and don't hang up until the call taker does. If you get cut off, call back and explain that you were cut off.
Crawl low under the smoke to your exit.
If you have to escape a fire through smoke, crawl low, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches above the floor, the air is cleaner at this lower level.
Plan your escape.
Make a home escape plan and hold regular fire drills so everyone in your household knows what to do in a fire emergency. When escaping a fire, feel the cracks around doors with the back of your hand before opening them. If they’re warm, try another escape route.
Install smoke alarms.
Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home, inside and outside of the bedrooms. Test them once a month and replace their batteries once a year.
Be careful with smoking materials
Never smoke in bed. Never smoke when you are drowsy, have been drinking or taking medication.
Install an automatic home fire sprinkler system.
Automatic fire sprinkler systems control or extinguish fires in less time than it takes for the fire department to arrive. Consider installing a system in your home.
Use electricity safely.
Replace damaged electrical cords and repair appliances that smell, smoke, or overheat.
Cook safely.
Never leave cooking unattended and keep cooking areas clean and uncluttered.
Space heaters need space.
Keep portable and space heaters at least three (3) feet from anything that can burn.
Keep matches and lighters out of the sight of children.
Keep matches and lighter away from children-store them up high in a locked cabinet.
Stop, Drop, and Roll.
If your clothes catch fire If your clothing catches fire, stop and don’t run. Drop to the ground and roll over and over to smother the flames. Cool the burn and call 911 for help.
Smart 9-1-1 Service
The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office announced that Smart911 is now available to all individuals. Smart911 is a free service available across the state of Michigan that allows individuals and families to sign up online to provide key information to 9-1-1 call takers during an emergency.
Smart911saves critical time in an emergency, the additional information provided in a Smart911 Safety Profile enables Sheriff's Deputies to know where they are going and who they are looking for, those details will help personnel to respond faster and more efficiently.
Smart911 allows citizens to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency. When a citizen makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right response teams to the right location with the right information.
With Smart911, citizens can link both home and work addresses to mobile phones, which can be passed on to responders in the field for more a detailed, rapid response. Additional information including pets in the home, vehicle details in the event of an accident, and even emergency contacts can all be included in a Safety Profile. All information is optional, and the citizen has the ability to choose what details they would like to include.
Smart911 is currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities across the country. Citizens are encouraged to create their Safety Profile with Smart911 today to have their information immediately available to 9-1-1 and to receive emergency notifications. Smart911 is private and secure, is only used for emergency responses, and only made available to the 9-1-1 system in the event of an emergency call.