The 9-1-1 E (Enhanced) emergency telephone service was implemented to allow an easier and more effective response to an emergency situation. 9-1-1 is a single emergency telephone number that makes it easier to remember and faster for anyone to reach police, fire or ambulance services.
9-1-1 should only be used when urgent police, fire or ambulance assistance is required. If you do not have an emergency and you have a need to contact the police, fire or ambulance services, you are to contact them at one of their non-emergency numbers, which are published in local telephone books as a non-emergency, or information number.
Parents should take the time to teach all members of their family the importance of 9-1-1 in order to ensure a safe and timely response to any emergency:
- Teach your children how and when to get help from 9-1-1.
- Teach your children their address and telephone number as soon as they are able to learn it.
- Keep it posted beside the telephone. This way it will be right there in a panic situation.
- Teach your children that if they must call 9-1-1 to answer all questions and stay on the phone until they are told to hang up.
- Teach your children the dangers of making prank 9-1-1 calls. (waste of a police officer’s time in responding, and maybe tie an officer up when there is a real emergency somewhere else.
The Next Generation 911 will be available soon in Ontario. This will allow a person to communicate with 911 via text message. Please visit our website frequently as we will update this section when it is available.