What is 911?

9-1-1 is a three-digit telephone number that you can use 24 hours a day for law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services.

9-1-1 consists of a team of professional men and women who are trained in getting emergency help

What to Expect when you Dial 911

A 9-1-1 operator, or telecommunicator, will answer your call and identify the agency you have reached. They will ask you several questions that will assist them in dispatching the appropriate servicing agency to help you.

DO NOT HANG UP! REMEMBER TO REMAIN CALM AND CLEARLY ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKED.

When dialing 9-1-1, the phone number and address you are calling from is automatically displayed on an ANI/ALI screen for the call-taker. This information must ALWAYS be confirmed.

The telecommunicator will ask you several questions in order to get the necessary information about the emergency to assist you. Sometimes they may have you stay on the line until help arrives to give instructions.
In rural areas it is common to be asked for a description of your home and cars in your driveway. The telecommunicator may also ask you to provide the name of a nearby cross street or landmark to aid in expediting a response.

When you call 9-1-1, the telecommunicator will need to know the answers to several questions:

Who? Who are you, who is in need, and who is affected by the event

What? What has or is happening? Is it a fire? A crime? A health emergency?

Where? Where is the event happening (an exact address is best, if known)? If you're on the beach, can you provide the closest mile marker? If you don't know exactly where you are, can you provide the name of an intersection or popular landmark?

When? When did the event begin, or when did you notice it?

How? Do you know how the event happened?

Let the telecommunicator know if you have seen any weapons or believe that weapons may be present.

View this short PSA " When Calling 9-1-1"