When should I call 9-1-1?

9-1-1 is for emergencies or things that could become emergencies.

• Is there a threat to life or property?
• Are you or someone else the victim of a crime?
• Do you have a police emergency?
• Do you or someone else have a medical emergency?
• Do you need the fire department?

If the situation seems urgent and has the potential to become dangerous, call 911. Dispatchers will determine whether your call should be handled by 911 or can be transferred to another person or agency. All other calls should be directed the non-emergency numbers.

If I call 9-1-1, what will they ask me?

1. What is the location of the emergency? This is the address where the emergency is actually happening. If you do not know the actual address, tell the dispatcher.

They may ask the following:

• Cross streets or a “hundred block”.
• Provide landmarks, business names or parks near the emergency.
• Look at the house numbers in the area.
• If you are calling from inside a home or business, look on a piece of mail.
• When asked for a location, we need you to be as specific as you can possibly be.

 

2. If you are asked to describe a subject /suspect, start with the most obvious things. Also, if the suspect just left (such as a theft suspect), we need to know which way that suspect went and a description of how he looked.

Some examples are:

• Race factor of the subject or suspect.
• Does he/she have a weapon?
• How tall is he/she?
• Approximately how much does the subject weigh?
• Approximate age of subject/suspect?
• What type of clothing is he/she wearing?
• Do you know the subject/suspect or ever seen them before?

 
If you describe a vehicle, include:

• License plate information, including the state.
• Color of the vehicle
• Year. (If unknown, tell the dispatcher if it was a new or old vehicle.)
• Make. (Was it a Honda, Nissan, or Ford?)
• Body style. (Was it a 4-door? Hatchback? Pick-up truck? 2-door?)
• Other things you may remember. (dents, etc.)

 

3. What is the phone number you’re calling from?

This is the number to the phone you’re actually calling from. We need this in case we have to call you back.
 

4. What is the problem?

Tell us exactly what happened. Be as concise as possible. Tell us what the problem is now, not what led up to the problem. We also need to know if you are going to be at, or near the scene when we arrive because the police may need to talk to you, or you may need to point out the exact location. We may ask you what kind of car you are in, or what colors clothing you are wearing.

 
If I call to report a fire, what should I tell the dispatcher?

You should be prepared to answer questions like these:

• Where is the fire?
• What is on fire?
• How large is the fire?
• Are any structures threatened? Are there flames moving close to any homes, buildings or gas tanks?
• Do you know if anyone is inside the housing or building?
• Do you know if anyone is hurt?
• While you are answering these questions, the dispatcher is also alerting the appropriate fire stations or another co-worker is alerting the appropriate fire stations and getting help on the way.

 
What if I call 9-1-1 accidentally?

If you accidentally dial 911, do not hang-up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher that everything is alright. If you don’t, the dispatcher will automatically think that something is wrong, call you back, and send someone to check.