About 911 Service
911 should only be used for emergencies.
911 is the three-digit number to dial in emergency situations for Police, Fire, and Medical assistance. When you dial 911, your call is answered by a trained professional who takes your information and dispatches the correct Fire or Rescue department, or connects you with the appropriate Police agency.
A call to 911 should always be a call for help. Only use 911 for life threatening incidents to include:
If you call 911:
When someone dials 911 for an emergency, there will be two telecommunicators on the phone. One telecommunicator will ask questions while the other telecommunicator dispatches the appropriate Fire or EMS Department.
Calls to 911 from cellular phones and pay phones are free.
Dialing the Number
911 is the three-digit number to dial in emergency situations for Police, Fire, and Medical assistance. When you dial 911, your call is answered by a trained professional who takes your information and dispatches the correct Fire or Rescue department, or connects you with the appropriate Police agency.
When To Call 911
A call to 911 should always be a call for help. Only use 911 for life threatening incidents to include:
- If someone is hurt
- If you see someone doing something illegal
- If you see someone hurting someone else
- If you smell smoke or see fire
When Not To Call 911
- To get information (use the non-emergency number for the agency you wish to contact)
- If your lights go out (contact your Utility Provider)
- Never call 911 as a joke.
- Do not call 911 just to see if it works (it does)
During the Call
If you call 911:
- Remain calm, speak clearly, and answer any question so they may better serve you.
- Make sure to tell the telecommunicator what the emergency is, the address of the emergency, and a phone number they can call you back if they need further information about the emergency.
- Do not hang up until the telecommunicator advises you to.
Telecommunicators
When someone dials 911 for an emergency, there will be two telecommunicators on the phone. One telecommunicator will ask questions while the other telecommunicator dispatches the appropriate Fire or EMS Department.
Cost
Calls to 911 from cellular phones and pay phones are free.