9-1-1 Frequently Asked Questions

When should I call 9-1-1?

You should call 9-1-1 any time you believe an ambulance, fire truck, or law enforcement needs to respond immediately to a situation. If you are not sure you should call 9-1-1 to report something, call 9-1-1 and speak with one of our specially trained Communicators who can help in determining what type of assistance to send.

How can I help the 9-1-1 call taker?

• Answer all questions asked by the call-taker.
• Listen to all instructions provided to you by the call taker.
• Speak clearly (so we can understand what you are telling us).
• Remain calm (difficult to do at times, we understand. But by remaining calm, you will help the call taker gather valuable information needed by first responders).

Why does the 9-1-1 call taker ask so many questions?

The call taker answers a 9-1-1 call with the question "9-1-1, what’s the address of the emergency?" This is the most critical piece of information we can gather. If we do not have a location of the problem, how can we send help? Other questions are asked as appropriate or dictated by Emergency Medical or Emergency Fire Protocols. All questions asked by the call taker are important and are asked in such a way to gather the most appropriate information in the shortest amount of time. During emergency situations, help is usually on the way while the call taker continues to gather more information from you!

What should I do if I dial 9-1-1 by mistake?

Do not hang up! Remain on the line (even if you are unsure at first if the call went through) and tell the call taker that the call was a mistake. If you hang up prior to your misdialed 9-1-1 call being answered, the call taker must then send law enforcement and attempt to call you back. This takes up precious time that the call taker could use to answer another call that may be an actual emergency. A common misconception is that you will get "in trouble" for accidentally dialing 9-1-1. This is simply not true! Accidents happen. We understand!

Can I dial 9-1-1 from a cellular telephone? Yes (even if the phone does not have a service plan from a provider).

Can I dial 911 from a payphone? Yes. Calls to 9-1-1 from payphones are provided at no charge.

Can the 9-1-1 Center communicate with the speech and/or hearing impaired? Or what if the 9-1-1 caller doesn’t speak English?

All workstations in the Communications Center are equipped with Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) that allows typed (text) communication with people who are hearing and/or speech impaired.

If a caller does not speak English, our center has access to Interpretive Service that provides 24hr/day over-the-phone interpretation of different languages. The process of getting an interpreter on the phone with the caller is generally less than one minute.

Is it possible to send a text message to 9-1-1? No. At this time, you are not able to send a text message to 9-1-1.