Which of the following is an important step when activating an emergency action plan?

Calling 911 is a critical step in activating an emergency action plan because it ensures that professional emergency medical services are on their way to assist with the situation. Promptly notifying emergency responders can significantly impact the outcome for the person in distress, especially in cases of medical emergencies, drownings, or injuries that require immediate attention.

While gathering guests, closing the pool area, or starting CPR are all essential actions that may follow or occur concurrently, they do not substitute the necessity of alerting emergency services. The priority in an emergency is to ensure that qualified medical help is on the way, which can be facilitated through calling 911 as soon as the situation is assessed to require it. This step initiates the chain of survival and provides the individual in need with the best possible chance for recovery.