Here is an example of the types of questions you might expect from the fire department dispatcher.

"Fire Department what is the exact location of your emergency?"
The exact address including the apartment, suite, floor, or room number.

"What is your telephone number?"
If you get unexpectedly disconnected from 9-1-1, the dispatcher will call you back.

"Tell me exactly what happened."
It is important to be specific about the details of the emergency (the reason you called 9-1-1)

"How old is the patient?"
The instructions you will receive from the dispatcher change with the age of the patient. (Example, CPR for an infant vs. CPR for an adult)

"Is the patient male of female?"
Some medical conditions, because of gender, require different instructions from the 9-1-1 dispatcher.

"Is the patient conscious?"  "Is the patient breathing?"
These two questions help the 9-1- dispatcher determine the severity of the emergency and allow the dispatcher to quickly begin life saving instructions.

"Help is being dispatched while we continue to talk. Stay on the telephone with me so that I can get additional information for the paramedics."
Help is dispatched as soon as enough information has ben gathered by the 9-1-1 dispatcher. The dispatcher you talk to is not the same dispatcher who sends the rescuers. The dispatcher you are talking with may have more questions for you. Answering the dispatcher's questions helps the fire department send the necessary emergency units to your location and allows the 9-1-1 dispatcher to give you proper emergency instructions over the telephone.