911
Government & Politics abbreviation · Emergency Services
| Stands for | Emergency telephone number (United States and Canada) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Government & Politics |
911 stands for Emergency telephone number (United States and Canada), an emergency services abbreviation.
Three-digit telephone number for police, fire and ambulance emergencies in the United States, Canada and some other countries. Calls are answered at public safety answering points, which dispatch the right responders.
Example: Call 911 right away if someone is unconscious and not breathing.
Usage notes
The first 911 call in the US was made in Haleyville, Alabama, on February 16, 1968. Spoken as "nine-one-one," never "nine-eleven," which refers to the September 11, 2001, attacks. Most US areas now accept text messages to 911. Calling 911 from a mobile phone works even without a service plan.
Related abbreviations
More emergency services abbreviations
- 000 – Emergency telephone number (Australia)
- 112 – European emergency number
- 999 – Emergency telephone number (United Kingdom)
- AHJ – Authority having jurisdiction
- AMBER – America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response
- APCO – Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials
- ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service
- AVL – Automatic vehicle location
- BC – Battalion chief
- BLEVE – Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion
- CAD – Computer-aided dispatch
- CBRN – Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear