Calling 9-1-1

• Calling 9-1-1 is the quickest way to receive help during emergencies.  County Communications Dispatchers are trained and equipped to help all callers, even those who can not speak English or are hearing impaired.
• In all emergency calls the most important factor is location; where is help needed?  Even when you dial 9-1-1 from a regular (not a cellular) phone, which relays the address and phone number you are calling from, you will need to describe where help is needed.
• If you are on a cell phone or using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, your description of the location is crucial.  If you know the address where we are needed, relay that.  If it is an apartment, give us the apartment number and the complex name.  If it is a business, tell us the name of the business.
• Outdoor locations can be challenging; do your best to describe the street and cross street closest to the location.  If the incident is significantly far away from a roadway, describe the roadway and cross street closest to it, how far away it is from there and in what direction.
• We can route a call for response and start medical, fire and/or law enforcement units while we are still on the phone with you.

Medical Calls

• When you are talking to a fire or medical dispatcher trained in the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), you will be asked a series of precise, medically approved questions. Your answers help the dispatcher determine the appropriate level of response from the fire department and paramedics.
• The MPDS system creates the opportunity for medical intervention to begin before the arrival of fire and paramedics.
• We can instruct you in life-savings strategies such as CPR, the Heimlich and assisting childbirth. We can create an opportunity for you to help, at a time when a friend or loved one needs help, but we will never ask you to do something that will endanger you.  Your safety is important to us.

Fire Calls

• Fire departments respond to reports of fire, smoke, fire alarms, electrical smells, smells of natural gas and hazardous materials.
• If the incident is happening inside your house, we will instruct you to leave the house and get to a safe area. (Learn more about Fire Escape Plans from the County Fire Department, OES, and FEMA.)

Law Enforcement Calls

• Again, location is the most important fact to relay, and then the phone number you are calling from.
• The dispatcher will ask you questions that will help to create a call that will be sensible to the radio dispatcher. Answer all the questions as best as you can.
• We will ask questions about the descriptions of people and their names if you know them.  Descriptions of vehicles may be important, along with license plates.
• The dispatcher will ask you about time elements (Is it happening now?  How long ago did it happen?), and directions of travel.
• Your safety is important to us, and we will not ask you to intervene in any situation that will endanger you.