5 Things 911 Dispatchers Wish You’d Stop Doing Immediately

When you call 911, seconds matter—but not for the reasons most people think.

I’m a newly trained 911 telecommunicator, and in just a few months on the job I’ve learned one unavoidable truth: a lot of well-intentioned people accidentally make emergencies harder, slower, and more chaotic than they need to be.

Yelling, rushing answers, using speakerphone, or calling 911 for things that aren’t emergencies doesn’t help. In fact, it often does the opposite.

So consider this a short, slightly snarky public service announcement from someone on the other end of the line. These are five things 911 dispatchers wish people would do—and stop doing—so we can get help to you as fast as humanly possible.

1. Stop yelling at me to “get them here NOW!”

Contrary to popular belief, 911 dispatchers do not have Star Trek–level teleportation devices. First responders still have to drive to your location. No beaming in. No warp speed.

Yelling at me to “get them there now” actually slows things down because I’m fighting to get the most important piece of information first: your location. The faster I can get your address and the nature of the emergency, the faster help can be sent. Volume does not equal speed.

2. Don’t put us on speakerphone unless we ask you to

There are times when we’ll ask you to use speakerphone—like when we’re giving CPR instructions. But for about 99.9% of calls, speakerphone makes it harder for us to hear and understand you, which delays help.

And if you’re calling from a moving vehicle, please turn the radio down and roll the windows up. Trying to understand someone yelling into a speakerphone while driving through a wind tunnel is… not ideal. We want to help you, but we’re not trained in decoding chaos at 60 miles per hour.

3. Speak clearly and as slowly as you can

I know this is easier said than done, especially when a loved one is unconscious and not breathing on the floor. But do your best.

Our job is to be the calm in your chaos. The clearer the information you give us, the better prepared responders will be when they arrive. Which leads directly to the next point.

4. The questions we ask are necessary—and not slowing things down

It might feel like we’re asking pointless questions and wasting precious time. We’re not.

While I’m asking questions, other dispatchers in the communications center are already sending help your way. As I enter your answers, that information is pushed to responders in real time. The faster I get accurate answers, the more prepared they’ll be when they arrive on scene. Think of it less like an interview and more like loading the toolbox before the truck shows up.

5. Use 911 for actual emergencies

You would not believe how many non-emergency calls we get on 911 every single day. And I’m going to be honest—the main reason is laziness.

It takes about 10 seconds to Google your local non-emergency number. Calling 911 because a dog is in your yard or you locked your keys in your car isn’t just unnecessary—it’s dangerous. While I’m explaining (again) that there’s no animal control in the county and I can’t do anything about the stray cat near your trash can, someone with a real emergency might be getting a busy signal—and that’s how bad days turn tragic.

There you have it: five things I wish people would do—and not do—when calling 911. Yes, it’s a little harsh. Yes, it’s a bit snarky. But if you’re reading my blog, you already know that harsh and snarky are kind of my modus operandi.

Stay safe, my friends.
Until next time.

JT