Dispatchers may need to put you on hold if you do not have an "in-progress emergency". When dispatchers take "in-progress" calls such as medical, (especially cardiac arrest, choking and childbirth), armed robberies and fires, they may need to put you on hold so they can take care of priority situations. That doesn't mean your call is not important, but some calls take priority over non-emergency calls not in progress, so responding units can get there quickly.