traveldk.com

Anywhere in or near the city, dialing 911 will summon police, fire, and rescue personnel and equipment as needed. The local 911 system has caller-ID and is able to automatically identify the address from which a call is placed. But this doesn’t work as effectively from a cell or wireless phone, so look around for landmarks before you call. To contact the police for a non-emergency dial 311. You can reach Metro transit police at 202-962-2121.

Fire engine

The CVS drugstore chain has a 24-hour pharmacy at Dupont Circle, at 4555 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, and another at 1199 Vermont Avenue NW. Any of these can refer you to pharmacies in other areas.

Georgetown University Hospital provides a free physician referral service from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The District of Columbia Dental Society operates a free dental telephone referral service, 8am to 4pm. Most hotels also can make physician and dental referrals.

An ambulance can be dispatched to emergency health situations by calling 911. Hospital emergency rooms, if you are nearby, are a possible alternative in a crisis, but ambulance crews start stabilizing treatment immediately.

This is a real possibility in summer. Wear light clothing, set a leisurely pace, stay in the shade when possible, and drink plenty of fluids. If you feel very fatigued, light-headed, or weak, get something to drink and sit in the coolest place available. If you don’t feel better soon, get medical attention – serious heat exhaustion can be life-threatening.

Drivers and all car passengers, front and back, are required to wear seat belts. Children four years old and under must be seated in a child-restraint seat. Laws against drinking and driving are very strictly enforced by the police.

Washington drivers are not as hazardous as those in some cities. The biggest exception is running red lights. Make certain that opposing traffic has stopped before you venture into the crosswalk.

Washington is a city of escalators, and there have been a surprising number of deaths and injuries. Use the handrail, and keep loose clothing and shoelaces away from moving parts at the sides and bottom and top of the escalator. Use an elevator if you have children in a stroller or are carrying heavy luggage.

The system can be very crowded during rush hour. Especially if you are traveling with children, be certain to keep your party together. Locals generally have a plan for what to do if a child ends up on the train and the parents don’t, or vice versa. The usual drill is for the child to get off the train at the next stop and wait for the parents to arrive. If it’s the child that doesn’t get on, he or she waits for the parents to backtrack to the station.

A number of rental services provide equipment for boating on the Potomac. This can be great fun, but the Potomac is dangerous. Follow all safety rules, and be certain to use the safety vests provided. The Great Falls area is extremely hazardous. People die every year after falling from the treacherous rocks here.