Emergencies don't happen very often. But when they do, you want to get help fast. No one wants to spend time looking up the phone number. That's why 911 was created — to make it easy. In the United States and Canada, dialing 911 on your phone is the fastest way you can get help for yourself or someone else.

Getting that help is as simple as dialing 911. With those three numbers, you can reach the fire department, the police, or an ambulance. When you call 911, an emergency operator — called a dispatcher — immediately connects you to the person you need.

Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States. But unlike other disasters, home fires can be prevented! It's important to know this: Fire is fast! There is no time to gather anything or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire could kill you. In five minutes, a house could be swallowed in flames.

Fire is hot! Heat and smoke could be even more dangerous than the flames. Breathing in really hot air could burn your lungs, and fire produces poisonous gases that can make you sleepy and unable to escape. Fire is dark! It can be hard to find your way out of your house in a fire. Fire is deadly! Fire uses up oxygen you need to breathe and produces smoke and poisonous gases that kill.

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