Thursday Is 2-1-1 Day

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 2995 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

Thursday is 2-1-1 Day across North America, and to make the day the Windsor-Essex EMS is asking residents to make the right call if they want or need help.

They stress that knowing the right number to call will help people find the right services for their situation and will help reduce non-urgent calls to 911.

“211 is a valuable resource for all of the residents of Windsor and Essex County. 211 calls are answered by trained experts who know our community services and can refer callers to the support they need. When residents make the right call, they help ensure 911 agents can focus on emergency situations and help save lives,” says Chief, Essex-Windsor EMS, Bruce Krauter.

211 is answered live, 24 hours a day, every day of the year including holidays, in more than 150 languages. Residents can call 2-1-1 for information on community, social and health services, as well as municipal, provincial and federally funded services like housing, employment and mental health and addiction agencies. Residents can also call 211 for services like food banks or for the non-emergency police number.

“211 has rapidly become an essential community service across Ontario. It’s the easiest and fastest way for our community’s most vulnerable, and those who care for them, to connect to social, health and government services,” said Andrew Benson, Executive Director of Ontario 211.

Residents should always call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies or crimes in progress that require police, fire or paramedic services, and call 211 to find any health, social or government services that serve our community.