Calling for Help — When and How

In an emergency, most people freeze. They look around, assuming someone else will make the call. This is a real psychological phenomenon called the 'bystander effect.' But what if that someone is you? Your phone gives you the power to save a life, but only if you know what to do in those first critical seconds. Knowing how to make that call is the difference between being a bystander and being a helper.

You are more likely than any adult to have a phone on you when something happens. That makes you a first responder. Knowing what to do isn't about being a hero; it's about being prepared.Every country has a specific, free number for emergencies. Your first job is to know yours. You call this number for true emergencies, which are situations that threaten someone's life or safety right now.When to call: Someone is unconscious or not breathing, there is a fire, someone is having a serious medical event (like a seizure or severe bleeding), or there is an immediate threat of violence.When NOT to call: For a minor cut, a lost pet, or to ask for directions. Using the emergency line for non-emergencies can delay help for someone in real trouble.Don't worry about being wrong. Emergency dispatchers...

Mateo was at the park with friends when an older man on a bench suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed. Everyone froze. People stared, pulling out their phones to record, but nobody was calling. Mateo’s hands were shaking, but he remembered what he’d learned. He found a quiet spot, dialed his country's emergency number, and took a breath. "I'm at Central Park, near the main fountain," he said clearly. "An older man just collapsed. He is breathing, but he's not responding. It's just one person." The dispatcher kept Mateo on the line, asking simple questions until he could hear sirens. Help arrived in under seven minutes. Mateo realized that knowing what to say was the only thing separating him from everyone else who just stood there.