Editing Emergency telephone number (section)

== Configuration and operation ==
[[File:Chineseemergencyservicesmuraltanglanges.jpg|thumb|A mural at a [[Shenzhen]] elementary school showing emergency numbers used in Mainland China]]

The emergency telephone number is a special case in the country's telephone number plan. In the past, calls to the emergency telephone number were often routed over special dedicated circuits. Though with the advent of electronic exchanges these calls are now often mixed with ordinary telephone traffic, they still may be able to access circuits that other traffic cannot. Often the system is set up so that once a call is made to an emergency telephone number, it must be answered. Should the caller abandon the call, the line may still be held until the emergency service answers and releases the call.

{{multiple image
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = 911sign.jpg
| caption1          = ''911'' is the emergency number used in many countries in the Americas.
| alt1              = Sign reading "911 emergency use only"
| image2            = GW-L2.jpg
| caption2          = A fire truck in [[Ennigerloh]], Germany, with the European emergency number ''112'' painted on its side
| alt2              = Red fire truck with 1-1-2 painted in yellow on its side
}}

An emergency telephone number call may be answered by either a [[switchboard operator|telephone operator]] or an emergency service [[dispatcher]]. The nature of the emergency ([[police]], [[Firefighter|fire]], [[Emergency medical services|medical]], [[coast guard]]) is then determined. If the call has been answered by a telephone operator, they then connect the call to the appropriate emergency service, who then dispatches the appropriate help. In the case of multiple services being needed on a call, the most urgent need must be determined, with other services being called in as needed.

Emergency dispatchers are trained to control the call in order to provide help in an appropriate manner; they can be assisted by [[computer aided call handling]] systems (CACH). The emergency dispatcher may find it necessary to give urgent advice in life-threatening situations. Some dispatchers have special training in telling people how to perform [[first aid]] or [[cardiopulmonary resuscitation|CPR]].

In many parts of the world, an emergency service can identify the telephone number that a call has been placed from. This is normally done using the system that the telephone company uses to bill calls, making the number visible even for users who have unlisted numbers or who block [[caller ID]]. [[Enhanced 911]] and similar systems like [[E112]] can provide the location of landline callers by looking up the physical address in a database, and mobile callers through triangulation from towers or [[GPS]] on the device. This is often specifically mandated in a country's telecommunication law.