The universal four
- Is it happening right now? Active leak, no heat now, locked out now.
- Is anyone at risk? Children, elderly, medical needs, a car on a highway.
- Can the caller make it safe? Shut-off valve, breaker, leave the house.
- Where exactly? Address, unit, or road and mile marker.
Questions by trade
| Trade | Key questions | Safety line |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | Still leaking? Can you shut off the main? Sewage? | Gas smell: leave, call 911 |
| HVAC | Completely off? Inside temperature? Anyone vulnerable? | CO alarm: get outside, call 911 |
| Restoration | Still coming in? How many rooms? Insurance carrier? | Sagging ceiling, water near outlets |
| Locksmith | Home, car or business? Anyone inside? | Child or pet in hot car: 911 |
| Towing | Safe off the road? Road, direction, exit? Destination? | Anyone hurt: 911 |
| Garage door | Stuck open? Car trapped? Spring broken? | Don't lift a door with a broken spring |
| Electrical | Smell or smoke? Neighbours have power? | Smoke or fire: 911; breaker off if safe |
| IT support | Which company? How many affected? Ransom message? | Don't power off or pay |
| Property management | Building and unit? Spreading to other units? | Gas smell: leave, call 911 |
From questions to a decision
Questions only help if the answers lead to the same decision every time. Write the decision next to each answer ("still leaking after shut-off → emergency"), and the after-hours line can apply it without guessing.
Are you somewhere safe, off the road? Is anyone hurt?
Nobody's hurt. I'm on the shoulder of 290 westbound, just past exit 12.
Rule matched: "Broken down on highway" → Emergency · rate next
What Josie does
- 24/7 Emergency Line: Answers every after-hours call and sorts real emergencies from routine jobs with your rules.
- Smart Call Routing: Daytime triage: urgent calls jump the queue and reach the right person or department.
- On-Call Paging + Schedules: Calls your on-call tech with the details. Press 1 to accept. No answer? Next person, then you.
- For your trade: 24/7 Emergency Answering Service for Home Service Companies
Common questions
What questions should an emergency dispatcher ask?
Whether it is happening now, whether anyone is at risk, whether the caller can make it safe, and exactly where it is. Then trade-specific questions and the fee.
Does HireJosie have templates for my trade?
Yes: plumbing, HVAC, restoration, locksmith, towing, garage door, electrical, IT support and property management. You can edit every rule.
What does HireJosie cost?
HireJosie is $29/month for 200 AI minutes, starting with a 7-day free trial — cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing. Pro is $79/month for 500 minutes, with $0.25/minute overage after that. Every feature is on every plan, and every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.