How to Handle an Emergency Call Effectively

Emergency phone calls often happen in the healthcare and law enforcement industries when someone needs assistance immediately. In these situations, making fast decisions and showing compassion are key players in keeping callers calm while resolving the emergency. Knowing how to handle these calls is essential in these industries to ensure timely resolution, and teaching call agents the right skills can prepare them for emergencies of all types.

Understanding the Importance of Emergency Call Handling

When an emergency happens, every second counts. An emergency phone call helps the caller get assistance the moment they need it, and the speed of the resolution can save lives. Despite how important acting quickly is, sensitivity is also required. During an emergency, a call agent needs to show empathy to keep the caller calm. This delicate process is what makes emergency call handling a skill that needs to be developed.

In industries where emergency phone calls are common, preparing your team with the right strategies can give them confidence to handle any emergency.

Tips for Handling Emergency Calls

The right approach can make emergency phone calls more manageable and effective. 

1. Maintain Composure and Calmness

When someone is experiencing an emergency, the person on the other end of the phone can dictate how that person should respond to the scenario. Knowing how to remain calm in emergency calls is key to keeping a caller’s nerves balanced as they deal with a stressful situation until help arrives. Maintaining composure over the phone requires an even tone of voice and speaking at a slower pace. 

It’s important to avoid any words that might incite panic in the caller. Even phrases like “Don’t worry” might encourage worry, so focus on positive language as much as you can.

Talking to someone who is experiencing an emergency may lead you to feel stressed by extension. You can use a range of techniques to calm your nervous system, like practicing deep breaths over the phone. If you need to calm yourself after an emergency call, try taking a walk or listening to calming music to help regulate your emotions. 

2. Gather Critical Information

Your caller is looking to you for solutions, and gathering critical information gets you closer to making those solutions happen. Typically, the most important information in an emergency is who needs help, what’s occurred and where the emergency is taking place. Gathering this information at the top of the call can help you determine what level of assistance is needed and take action immediately.

Questions worth asking during an emergency call include:

• Are you concerned about your safety?
• Is there anyone nearby who can help?
• Are you in physical pain?
• Do you need the authorities on site?

3. Prioritize and Dispatch Assistance

With a clear understanding of the situation, you can dispatch assistance according to the caller’s needs. You may need to send for the authorities or medical professionals, depending on the scenario. Every minute counts, so consider the most efficient way to reach assistance. Do you need to forward the call to another department or professional? In some cases, this may be the most direct solution.

Once you’ve determined the right course of action, it’s important to communicate the next steps to your caller. Confirm with the caller to make sure the solution works for them with questions like “Am I making sense?” and “Are you okay with that?” Keeping the caller included in the solution removes potential confusion and shows them when to expect help. 

4. Apply Active Listening and Empathy

Showing empathy to your caller ensures they feel supported during an emergency. With active listening, you can ensure they feel heard over the phone, which can also help calm them down. While you want to find a solution for your caller, it’s important to give them space to speak before you dive into problem-solving. If a caller is audibly upset, give them a moment to tell you what’s happening and ask follow-up questions once they’ve said what they need to.

During an emergency, a caller may take time to compose themselves to communicate effectively. Rather than asking them to calm down, it may be easier to use more affirming language like “I’m here for you.” Phrasing like this implies that you don’t expect them to calm down immediately and can help them feel in good hands over the phone. 

5. Stay on the Line

Staying on the line is valuable for two reasons — it keeps you informed about changes and helps you keep the caller calm. Emergencies can progress rapidly, and staying clued into the scenario can be helpful for documentation purposes and providing assistance based on these changes. If the caller is alone, having you on the line can make the situation feel more manageable until help arrives. 

Remaining on the line may not always be possible, especially if you have to forward the call to another person. However, if a caller is waiting for help to arrive, staying on the phone can help calm them.

During these waiting periods, you can maintain a dialogue that feels most natural. While you may occasionally check the status of the emergency, you can also use this time to talk about anything the caller seems willing to talk about. Topics like what the caller did earlier that day or descriptions of the area can be valuable for grounding the caller.

6. Document and Follow Up

Documentation is a core aspect of phone call emergencies for analytics purposes. Emergency services often review actions taken to determine the effectiveness of protocols. Thorough documentation allows teams to review the solutions used and how the scenario was handled to find opportunities for improvement. 

In some cases, a follow-up call might be required to see how the caller has managed since the emergency resolution. This status update is also important to document in order to determine the effectiveness of the call.

7. Train and Prepare

Handling emergency phone calls is a delicate process that requires strong training protocols. Emergency phone call training might involve listening to call recordings and reviewing documentation from previous calls. This training should focus on practicing empathy and fast decision-making. It might also help to have new employees shadow experienced call agents to get a sense of how to handle emergency calls. 

Always Answer Your Phone With AnswerHero™

AnswerHero™ offers professional call answering services for emergency situations. With our team overseeing your phone calls 24/7, you can ensure you never miss an important call, especially during an emergecy. We offer bilingual answering services to support Spanish-speaking callers, and we have flexible pricing plans without contracts. Get in touch with us today to learn more.