Emergencies might be rare, but being prepared for them is always worthwhile and you should know who to call should the worst occur. This might be a professional service or it could be a close friend or family member depending on the situation.
You should never have to deal with an emergency on your own; instead, you should have a few numbers in your phone that you know you can ring at any time. Whatever you need, one of these three numbers should be able to help you out.
Dial 911
911 is an emergency number everyone should know but many people don’t understand when it is appropriate to use it. To be clear: you should call 911 if you need police, fire or ambulance services and it is an emergency. So, if you see a robbery taking place, you should call 911, or if you think you are having a heart attack. You should also call for any house fire, regardless of size.
There are also times when 911 isn’t the best number to call though. For example, many illnesses and pains can be treated by a local doctor, or you can drive (or be driven) to the ER yourself. Other reasons people call 911 unnecessarily are issues such as loud parties or burst water pipes – neither are emergencies and can be sorted out by other authorities.
Call Your Lawyer
Having a lawyer in your phonebook will also come in useful for a wide range of problems. For example, if you get in trouble with the law yourself, you should always call a lawyer to represent you. A law practice offering diverse services such as CaseyNelsonLaw.com is a good way to go for coverage no matter what the problem is.
A good lawyer will be able to get caught up on your case immediately and may even be able to get to you outside office hours in serious cases. Having this sort of legal backup is a good idea an increasingly litigious world, if only to ensure that you have a confident you can speak to within attorney-client privilege.
Call Your Next of Kin
Having a close friend or family member to support you is always important. This should be someone who lives reasonably closeby and will be able to support you when you need. Your next of kin is the person you can most rely upon and trust in any situation.
If you are unconscious or incapacitated for some reason, it is worth having an ICE (in case of emergency) number in your phone. Most people choose a spouse, parent or adult child but there’s nothing to stop you choosing a close friend instead. Do make sure that whoever you choose knows that their number is your ICE number though.
Knowing who to call in an emergency is a good way to prepare for any eventuality and is also a good tip to pass onto your children as soon as they own their own cell phone.
