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Tahoe chief’s corner: When is it appropriate to call 911?

Mike Brown
Special to the Bonanza
Mike Brown

In case of an emergency, call 911. But what constitutes an emergency? Will I be charged if I call 911? I’m afraid of calling 911.

These are concerns and question we hear frequently at the Fire District that I would like to address.

An emergency is a sudden unforeseen crisis that requires immediate action. Whether a medical emergency such as difficulty breathing, sudden dizziness, weakness, changes in vision, confusion or changes in mental status, any sudden or severe pain, uncontrolled bleeding, severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea, coughing or vomiting blood to name a few, it is always prudent to call 911.



Basically, if something isn’t right, call. If there is an uncontrolled fire of any sort, please do not take matters into your own hands and try to put out the fire. Call 911 and let the professional Fire District personnel properly and safely extinguish the fire.

There is no charge to call 911, and there is no charge for our Fire District to show up. If there is a medical emergency that requires a patient to be transported, then there will be a charge that may be covered by your insurance.



If there is a fire that is out of control such as a structure fire, dumpster fire etc., there is no charge for the Fire District to show up and put the fire out.

If you are even a slight bit unsure about an unsafe fire situation, please err on the side of caution and call 911.

Please do not try to extinguish the fire yourself as you can end up getting injured unnecessarily.

Whether a medical or fire emergency, call 911. Make the call. For more information on emergency situations, emergency preparedness or general concerns, please contact your local Fire Protection District.

Incline Village and Crystal Bay residents and visitors can call the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District at 775/831-0351, ext. 0, or visit our website at http://www.nltfpd.net.

“Chief’s Corner” is a regular feature in the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza from North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District Chief Mike Brown, offering information, tips and educational material on fire safety, emergency preparedness and other pertinent topics.


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