Handling a small emergency

Situation

You witness an accident. Advanced version: a 911 call under pressure.

The roles

AYouBThe 911 dispatcher

The 911 dispatcher
Listen
9-1-1, quelle est votre urgence ?
9-1-1, what's your emergency?
You
Listen
Un cycliste vient d'être renversé par une voiture au coin de Saint-Denis et Mont-Royal. Il est conscient mais il saigne à la jambe.
A cyclist was just hit by a car at the corner of Saint-Denis and Mont-Royal. He's conscious but bleeding from the leg.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
D'accord, restez calme. Respire-t-il normalement ?
Okay, stay calm. Is he breathing normally?
You
Listen
Oui, il parle et il respire bien. La plaie est à la cuisse, ça saigne pas mal.
Yes, he's talking and breathing well. The wound is on the thigh, it's bleeding quite a bit.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Appliquez une pression ferme sur la plaie avec un linge propre, sans bouger sa jambe.
Apply firm pressure to the wound with a clean cloth, without moving his leg.
You
Listen
C'est fait, quelqu'un m'aide à comprimer. Les ambulanciers arrivent dans combien de temps ?
Done, someone's helping me apply pressure. How long until the paramedics arrive?
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Moins de cinq minutes, ils sont en route. Le conducteur est-il blessé aussi ?
Less than five minutes, they're on the way. Is the driver injured too?
You
Listen
Non, il est secoué mais indemne. J'ai dégagé la circulation pour laisser passer l'ambulance.
No, he's shaken but unharmed. I've cleared the traffic to let the ambulance through.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Parfait. Le cycliste, est-il toujours conscient ? Lui parlez-vous ?
Perfect. The cyclist, is he still conscious? Are you talking to him?

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Handling a small emergencyDialogue 219

You
Listen
Oui, je lui parle, il me répond. Il a mal mais il reste lucide.
Yes, I'm talking to him, he answers. He's in pain but stays lucid.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Excellent, continuez de lui parler, ça le garde alerte. Ne lui donnez rien à boire.
Excellent, keep talking to him, it keeps him alert. Don't give him anything to drink.
You
Listen
Compris, rien à boire. Le saignement diminue un peu avec la pression.
Understood, nothing to drink. The bleeding is decreasing a bit with the pressure.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Très bien, maintenez la pression sans relâcher. Voyez-vous le casque ? A-t-il cogné la tête ?
Very good, keep the pressure without releasing. Do you see his helmet? Did he hit his head?
You
Listen
Il portait un casque, il est intact. Il dit ne pas avoir cogné la tête.
He was wearing a helmet, it's intact. He says he didn't hit his head.
The 911 dispatcher
Listen
Bonne nouvelle. J'entends la sirène, ils arrivent. Restez en ligne jusqu'à ce qu'ils prennent le relais.
Good news. I hear the siren, they're arriving. Stay on the line until they take over.
You
Listen
Je les vois ! Je leur fais signe. Merci infiniment de m'avoir guidé.
I see them! I'm waving them over. Thank you so much for guiding me.

Vocabulary

être renverséto be hit / knocked down
conscientconscious
une plaiea wound
appliquer une pression fermeto apply firm pressure
les ambulanciersthe paramedics
indemneunharmed

Culture note

During a 911 call, the dispatcher guides you step by step: give the precise location, the state of the injured (conscious? breathing?) and follow instructions calmly — it saves lives. Staying on the line until help arrives is essential.

Web version

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