You've probably already put contact information in your phone for all of your friends and family, but it's also important to add some additional contacts to your contact list, like emergency numbers and professional services. 

Here are the top 11 essential contacts you need to have on speed dial.

  1. Your pet's veterinarian

If your pet already has a regular vet, put them in your contact list so you don't have to search for their phone number in an emergency. It's also a good idea to save the contact information, including the address, for a 24-hour emergency vet in your area. If you don't have a 24-hour hospital, at least find a local vet clinic that takes emergencies.

If you don't already have a preferred vet, find one ahead of time and put their number in your phone. Don't wait until the last minute when you need a vet urgently. Planning ahead allows you to research a vet's reputation through online reviews.

  1. Your child's school

If you have kids, keep their school's number in your phone. If an emergency happens at your child's school, they'll call you, but you might need to call the school at some point. Having the number programmed into your phone also eliminates the need to scroll through your list of received calls when you need to call them back.

  1. A non-emergency police contact

You never know when you'll need to contact the police in a non-emergency situation, so add it to your address book. Don't tie up 9-1-1 dispatchers. Non-emergency numbers vary by state, so find yours and put it in your phone as soon as possible.

  1. A local hospital

Accidents can happen at any time, and you'll be better prepared if you can contact a hospital quickly. You might need to go to the ER or take a friend to the hospital. If your GPS device or app doesn't work at that moment, you'll need to call to get directions.

  1. A plumber

Plumbing emergencies, like broken pipes and floods, are awful. While you're dealing with the situation, you'll probably be frustrated, and that will make it harder to focus on finding a plumber. If you already have an emergency plumber in your contact list, you'll be just a couple of clicks away from getting help.

  1. An electrician

Whether your power goes out or you have an electrical emergency, you'll feel better when you can call an electrician within minutes. Don't spend forever searching online for an electrician when you're frustrated. Take your time to find a handful of options and verify their reputation through online reviews. Just like a plumber, it's important to choose the right electrician to fix your problem.

  1. A tow truck company

If you subscribe to a service, like AAA, or if you have towing benefits with your auto insurance, add the phone number to your contacts list, along with your membership number if applicable.

  1. An emergency dentist

Tooth pain is awful, and you aren't going to like searching for a dentist when you're in pain. Pick an emergency dentist and add them to your contacts.

  1. Poison control

If you or someone in your family ingests poison, you'll want to call poison control right away. Sometimes there are things you can do to mitigate the situation before you go to a hospital. It's an unlikely scenario, but still possible.

  1. Your utility company

When the power goes out, you'll want to report it to your utility company so they can get a crew to fix the outage. Sometimes utility companies don't make it easy to find their phone number, so put it in your phone ahead of time.

  1. An attorney

Even though you probably aren't planning on breaking the law or getting in trouble with the police, people get stopped, detained, and even arrested all the time. If this happens, you'll most likely feel vulnerable and defenseless, especially if you're being told you'll be arrested. Having an attorney on speed dial can help you in this type of situation. You don't need to establish a relationship first – just find a reputable attorney and add them to your contacts.  

Be prepared for anything

While you can't predict everything that will happen, you can prepare for likely potentials, like plumbing emergencies or your car breaking down. Add these to your phone and help will always be just a few clicks away.