Statistics show that 119’s responses can be generally categorized into 4 types when receiving a call:
➡Hello, 119. How may I help you?
➡This is 119. Do you need an ambulance or fire engine?
➡Hi, this is 119. Are you reporting a case or do you need other services?
➡Hi, this is 119. What’s the nature of the case? What follows is asking the address and the details.
All of these are in fact to quickly find out what the callers need, handle the cases as quickly as possible and dispatch firefighting resource for accident rescue, emergency medical service or others. That is why 119 around the country responds to reporting differently based on local conditions and number and nature of cases.
Also, there are two things to know about regarding the type of communication tool used:
1. It is recommended to make a 119 phone call through telephone, since it makes 119 easier to identify your phone number and address (same as calling from a public phone) with automatic number identification (ANI) / automatic location identification (ALI), and that reduces a lot of time handling the case and dispatching.
2. When reporting a case with a cell phone, the first thing to tell the operator is the location (e.g. address, road intersection or any obvious landmark), because the reception may be poor and the connection may be interrupted during the call; or the battery may run out. That’s why the first piece of information to be given is the location in order to help 119 dispatch rescue missions.
But what if you are panicking in an emergency and forget what to do?
Stay calm! Stay calm! Stay calm!
Take a deep breath, pull yourself together and slowly but steadily describe your needs.
Leave it to the professionals!
You don’t have to do anything. Leave it to the professional, well trained firefighters to guide you through the reporting process with concise Q&As.
Pictures provided by Taipei City Fire Department.