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911
INFORMATION
If you need
POLICE, FIRE, AMBULANCE ASSISTANCE, you
need to immediately DIAL 911 if it is an
emergency.
What happens
when you call 911?
- Our 911 call taker enters
the information you give into a
computer.
- Our computer-aided dispatch
system assigns a priority to the
call based on the type of call
(burglary, shooting, etc.).
Additional information you give
can affect the priority.
- A Dispatcher radios the
information to units responding
to the call.
- Additional information from
you is sent to officers either
by radio or computer. Details
are vital, so remain calm and
speak clearly.
Tips For
Calling 911:
- Stay calm. Speak clearly.
Emergency units (police, fire or
ambulance) rely on the information
you give to get to you as soon as
possible and to be able to help you.
- Give your address and phone
number. Many 911 systems
automatically display your address
when you dial 911, but most cellular
phones do not. We also will not
receive address information for
callers who call our 10 digit
number. Your address is vital
information and address verification
is crucial. We cannot help you if we
don’t know where you are.
- Quickly and briefly describe
your problem. As soon as we know
what you need, we will know who
(police, ambulance, or fire) to send
to help you. Get to the point as
soon as possible.
- Describe yourself. Tell
the Call Taker where you are and
what you look like, including what
you are wearing. We want officers
who are arriving on the scene to
know who they can contact and that
you are not the suspect.
- Listen to the 911 Call Taker.
Answer their questions and follow
any instructions. Remain on the line
until the 911 Call Taker says it is
okay for you to hang up.
Remember:
Answering questions does NOT
delay the dispatch of assistance. A
dispatcher is sending help your way
while the Call Taker takes additional
information from you. The more pertinent
information you give us, the safer
everyone will be.
About 911
hang-ups:
Our policy is to respond to ALL 911 hang
up calls. If you accidentally call 911
or change your mind about needing
assistance, stay on the line and explain
that to the 911 Call Taker. Otherwise,
an officer will be dispatched to your
location to ensure that you are safe.
Playing on the phone puts those who do
need immediate help in danger and puts
you in danger of being prosecuted for
making a false report.
911
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
telephone services
 Click
the 911 icon for information regarding
VOIP & 911
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Verify that you can access 9-1-1
with your phone. Check your service
provider’s Web site for emergency
calling features. Links for some
providers are found on this Web
site.
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Be sure to keep your registered
location current with your VoIP
provider.
-
If the power is out, your VoIP
service may be out too. Consider
purchasing a back up power supply.
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If you travel with your VoIP
adapter, be sure to update your
registered location with your
service provider. The time it takes
to process the update can vary
considerably. Therefore, when
traveling, if you need 9-1-1
service, use another phone.
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Inform children, babysitters, and
visitors about your VoIP service.
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Post your address and call back
phone number near your phone.
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It is a good idea to know what
police, fire or sheriff's department
is responsible for your 9-1-1 call
and have their phone number on hand
to provide to the call taker.
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Consider keeping a land line phone
for accessing 9-1-1 emergency
services.
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Burglar alarms, fax machines,
satellite TV, and DVRs often rely on
analog modems. Check with your VoIP
provider to determine if their
service supports analog modems.
Not all VoIP service providers are
created equal when it comes to emergency
calling.
FCC Mandate 05-116 states that all
VoIP service providers must enable 9-1-1
calling and provide callback and
location information.
Some VoIP providers have yet to meet
these FCC requirements.
Currently there are 2 ways your VoIP
call can be processed:
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VoIP Basic Emergency Calling,
the call is not routed to your local
9-1-1 center on emergency lines.
Instead, it is sent to a remote
private call center or a
non-emergency line without location
information and possibly without
your callback number. This type of
call processing can delay an
emergency response.
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VoIP Enhanced 9-1-1 Calling, is
routed over a dedicated 9-1-1
network and arrives at your local
9-1-1 dispatching center with both
customer registered location and
callback number.
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