911 Tips & FAQs

Prepare yourself, in the event of an emergency, with the following tips: 

• Teach children when and how to use 9-1-1
• During a power outage phones that require an electrical outlet will not work; simple phones do

Civic Address

• Know your civic address; it may differ from your mailing address
• Your civic address is the street name and number that are assigned to your residence for 9-1-1 emergency purposes
• Write your address and phone number in large print on, or near your telephone
• Make sure the street address numbers on your residence are clearly visible
• When away from home, always know your location

Cellular Phones

• If you call 9-1-1 from your cellular phone, you MUST know your location
• If your location is unknown, be prepared to describe it with cross streets
• Emergency responders in Ontario CAN’T currently track the location of your cell phone using embedded GPS technology

Internet Phone Service

• Subscribers of Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP or broadband) telephone services may not have access to the 9-1-1 service
• Taking your VoIP phone with you to another location may compromise your 9-1-1 service
• It is the subscriber’s responsibility to confirm 9-1-1 service details with their VoIP provider
• Know your location if you call 9-1-1 using a VoIP phone

Prank 9-1-1 Calls

• Prank 9-1-1 calls are a criminal offence
• If dispatchers are busy with prank or non-emergency calls someone with a real emergency may not get the help they need