Dial 911 from any telephone for emergency police, medical, and fire services. The call will be free of charge. This should not change from town to town or state to state, since all police, fire, and medical emergency services throughout the USA and Canada are tied into the 911 service.
The rural areas and small cities of the Midwest are among the safest for travelers and residents in all America. Parts of the larger cities, especially Chicago, Saint Louis, and Detroit, should be avoided after dark.
Weather in the Midwest ranges from blistering heat waves in July and August, to fierce blizzards in January and February. Tornadoes are common in the southern parts of this region in the springtime, but ample warnings are often given to help protect property and lives. If the weather on the road appears to be turning inclement, local radio and television stations will continuously offer advice and information.
talk
English is, as with the rest of the U.S., the de facto official language. The "Midwestern Accent" is the voice most commonly heard on national newscasts across the country. Some areas with large Hispanic populations might have a majority speaking Spanish, but most have at least basic English skills. Most of the larger cities have sizeable diverse ethnic communities with many first generation immigrants. Extreme southern and northern portions of the Midwest have their own minor linguistic quirks, but generally the English spoken here is among the easiest dialect to understand in all America.