What should you do if you answer a telephone call in a fire department facility and determine that the caller has an emergency?

What should you do if you answer a telephone call in a fire department facility and determine that the caller has an emergency?

• A. Call for a Supervisor
• B. Immediately dispatch a response
• C. Follow your Departments SOP/SOG
• D. Put the caller on hold and ask for assistance

Answer: (C)

When you determine an emergency on a phone call in a fire department facility, act according to your department’s SOPs and SOGs. These documents lay out the exact steps you must follow—what information to gather (location, nature of the emergency, caller details), who to notify, and how to initiate the appropriate response. Following them ensures a quick, coordinated, and safe action that matches training and legal expectations. This approach prevents delays or confusion that can come from improvising, such as placing the caller on hold or escalating to a supervisor first, or trying to dispatch without following the approved process. By sticking to the documented procedures, you ensure the right resources are mobilized in the right order and that everything is properly documented for the incident.

When you determine an emergency on a phone call in a fire department facility, act according to your department’s SOPs and SOGs. These documents lay out the exact steps you must follow—what information to gather (location, nature of the emergency, caller details), who to notify, and how to initiate the appropriate response. Following them ensures a quick, coordinated, and safe action that matches training and legal expectations.

This approach prevents delays or confusion that can come from improvising, such as placing the caller on hold or escalating to a supervisor first, or trying to dispatch without following the approved process. By sticking to the documented procedures, you ensure the right resources are mobilized in the right order and that everything is properly documented for the incident.