How to call the police, ambulance, or fire department?
In today's world, knowing the correct procedures for calling emergency services can save lives and protect property. The city of Calgary has a well-developed emergency response system that provides a quick and effective response to critical situations. Understanding when and how to properly call the police, ambulance, or fire department is an important skill for every resident and visitor to the city.
911 Emergency Call System
Calgary 911 is the central point of contact for all emergencies in the city. This service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing a critical link between citizens and the emergency response services they need.
The 911 number is for situations where there is a threat to your health, safety, or property and you need immediate assistance from the police, fire department, or ambulance. Calgary 911 is for everyone, and if you do not speak English, the service has access to translation services available in more than 300 languages.
When you call 911, the emergency communications operator will ask you questions to ensure you get the help you need. The service may transfer your call to the Calgary Police Service, Calgary Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Poison Control Center, or other appropriate services.
When to call 911
You should call 911 in the following situations:
You or someone else is having a life-threatening medical emergency that requires immediate assistance (e.g., chest pain, severe bleeding, or difficulty breathing). You see a fire, smell smoke, or your carbon monoxide alarm is going off. You or someone else has been in a traffic accident with injuries.
You see or hear fighting, shouting, or gunshots. You see a crime in progress, such as burglary, vandalism, or assault. You see or know of a serious crime that has just occurred, including kidnapping or robbery.
You see someone driving dangerously. You see a broken power line, smell gas, or see a spill of hazardous materials, contamination, or poisoning.
If you are unsure whether your situation is an emergency, call 911. It is better to be safe and let the 911 operator determine whether emergency services are needed.
Text 911 service for people with hearing impairments
Calgary offers a special Text with 911 (T9-1-1) service in the Calgary area for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired. This service allows members of this community to communicate with 911 services via wireless text messaging at no additional cost. To initiate a Text with 911 call during an emergency, a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired should dial 911 on their mobile phone. They do not need to speak, as the emergency operator receiving the 911 call will receive an indicator informing them that they need to communicate with the caller via text messages.
The emergency operator will then initiate a text message exchange with the caller to resolve the emergency. This service is only available if you are part of the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired (DHHSI) community and requires prior registration.
Non-emergency calls to the police
For situations that are not emergencies but still require a police response, the Calgary Police Service has a dedicated non-emergency line: 403-266-1234. This line should be used for all non-emergency situations where an immediate response is not required.
Non-emergency calls include situations where time has passed since the incident, the suspect is not at the scene, or you are calling about issues of concern (e.g., noise, complaints, suspicious persons, intoxication, etc.). In such cases, the police will arrive with lower priority.
The Calgary Police Service also provides a special line for people with hearing impairments (24 hours a day): 403-296-0443. In addition, it is possible to report certain types of crimes online through the Calgary Police Service Citizen Online Police Report System.
Fire and Emergency Response
The Calgary Fire Department provides vital emergency response services to Calgary residents and visitors across an area of 848 square kilometers. Supported by 43 fire stations and 1,328 firefighters, the department responds to over 70,000 fire and fire-related incidents, critical medical interventions, traffic accidents, hazardous conditions, specialized technical rescue operations, including water rescues, and calls for public assistance annually.
The Fire Department provides the following services: vital safety and fire protection services during emergency incidents; basic life support, fire suppression, specialized technical rescues, including rope/high-angle, water, heavy/structural, confined space rescues; hazardous materials response; large-scale emergency response.
The Calgary Fire Department also has a special program for deaf and hard-of-hearing Calgarians, which provides free specialized smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to those who qualify. Traditional smoke and carbon monoxide alarms rely on high-frequency sounds, which can be ineffective for people with hearing loss. Assistive alerting devices address this issue by incorporating flashing strobe lights that provide a visual warning of smoke or carbon monoxide detection.
Emergency Medical Services
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is responsible for providing emergency medical services (EMS), which include ground and air ambulance operations in Alberta. AHS EMS and 31 contracted EMS operators provide ground ambulance services throughout Alberta.
EMS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year throughout Alberta. Each year, there are over 670,000 incidents involving more than 930 ambulances with 5,000 EMS practitioners providing care.
In emergencies, EMS practitioners respond to the scene to assess and treat injuries or illnesses, and when further treatment is needed, transport people to the most appropriate health care facility.
Calgary also has several major hospitals with emergency departments:
- Alberta Children's Hospital (403-955-7070)
- Foothills Hospital (403-944-1315)
- Peter Lougheed Centre (403-943-4999)
- Rockyview General Hospital (403-943-3449)
- South Health Campus (403-956-1111)
Special contact numbers and services
Calgary has several specialized services for different types of non-emergency situations:
For city-related questions and by-laws: 311. This number should be used for city information (e.g., by-laws, garbage collection, etc.). For mental health crises and community resources: 211 or text INFO to 211. Call or text 211 for non-emergency situations related to mental health and addiction, food and basic needs, or community and social resources.
HELP Team (formerly DOAP Team): 403-998-7388. This service should be used for homeless individuals in a vulnerable state (experiencing a mental health crisis, intoxicated and/or using drugs in a public place, stumbling in the street, stepping into traffic), trespassing (sleeping in business doorways), or in need of transportation.
Transit Watch: 403-262-1000 or text 74100. Text 74100 or use the help phone/button on C-Trains and platforms to report immediate safety and security issues (such as messes, areas needing attention or cleaning, infrastructure issues, broken glass, or harassment, etc.).
Evacuation and Safety Procedures
Calgary has detailed evacuation procedures for various types of emergencies. In the event of a fire alarm, all persons must immediately leave the building. Basic evacuation principles include:
- Do not use elevators; use stairs
- Walk, do not run during evacuation
- Close, but do not lock, doors when leaving rooms
- Assist persons with physical disabilities
If you encounter smoke, stay close to the floor. If you encounter smoke in a stairwell, try to use an alternate stairwell. Move at least 100 meters away from the building and report to the nearest assembly point.
Multilingual Support and Accessibility
Calgary 911 provides accessibility for everyone, regardless of language barriers. If you do not speak English, Calgary 911 has access to a translation service available in more than 300 languages. Knowing how to say the name of your language in English can help the emergency operator get a translator on the line as quickly as possible.
The city also has a multilingual emergency response center that provides support in 22 languages, helping callers access food, government programs, financial support, and other resources. The center proactively reaches out to various ethnic communities that have not yet had access to the service.
Emergency preparedness
Calgary actively encourages citizens to prepare for emergencies through Ready Calgary, a free online community preparedness program for citizens. The course covers safety at home, at work, in the neighborhood, and in the community. City officials recommend having an emergency plan that includes “shelter in place” procedures. This means closing all windows and doors, turning off stoves and air vents, and taking your 72-hour emergency kit into the room, including a radio and cell phone.
Funding and Development of the 911 System
The 911 system in Alberta is funded through a monthly levy on mobile phones, which helps fund daily operations and technology upgrades for 911 centres across the province. Starting September 1, 2021, the existing 44-cent monthly 911 levy increased to 95 cents per month on all Alberta cell phones.
Most of this funding goes directly to Alberta's 911 centres, with a portion covering the administrative costs of service providers and program areas. This increased funding will help Alberta's 911 centres upgrade to federally mandated Next Generation 911 technology over the next 3 years.
Conclusion
Calgary's emergency services system is a comprehensive and well-organized network designed to ensure a rapid and effective response to all types of emergencies. Understanding the correct numbers to call, procedures, and available services is critical for all residents and visitors to the city. Remember: in any life-threatening situation, always call 911, and for non-emergency issues, use the appropriate specialized lines. The system is designed for your safety and well-being, so don't hesitate to use it when necessary.