how do i know if a situation requires calling 9-1-1
Any situation that is life-threatening or involves significant property damage (e.g., a house on fire) should be addressed by calling 9-1-1
If I’m in doubt about whether to call or not, should I still call?
Yes. It’s better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 call-taker determine if you need assistance rather than possibly put someone’s life at risk by not taking action.
What if I call 9-1-1 by mistake?
DO NOT HANG UP. Tell the call-taker what happened so that he/she knows that there really isn’t an emergency. If you hang up without speaking, you may cause the call-taker to believe that you are in serious danger (e.g., overcome by smoke in a house fire, threatened by an intruder, etc.) and send an officer to your location.
What happens when I accidentally call 9-1-1 and hang up?
If you call from a landline phone, your address and phone number automatically appears in the automatic number / location identification (ANI/ALI) system. You will receive a call back from our dispatch center to verify that everything is okay. If your call is by cell phone we will attempt to locate your phone by gps coordinates to obtain the best location for you. If you fail to answer the phone, a police officer will be sent to your address or area to make sure everyone is alright.
When I called 9-1-1, why did the dispatcher ask me all of those questions? All I needed was an ambulance!
In order for us to dispatch an ambulance, our dispatchers are required to ask a series of questions to determine the nature and seriousness of the problem.
I called 9-1-1 for an ambulance and I got a fire truck and an ambulance. Why did you send me a fire truck too?
Every time someone calls 9-1-1 for a medical situation, our dispatchers send resources according to protocol depending on the seriousness of the medical emergency and the location that you are in.
When I call 911 why do I get someone different every time? Once I had to tell my story three times in one night.
Thes E-911 Center is staffed with with multiple dispatchers. The phone system is designed so that each call is answered in the order it was received, with priority given to 9-1-1 calls. Therefore, when you call several times in a day, it is possible that you will get a different dispatcher each time you call because the original dispatcher may be busy with other calls or tasks, or she/he may have gone home for the day.
Why does the operator keep asking me questions? If they would just send the police, they would find out all they need to know.
As the reporting party, you are the first and only source of information until a police officer arrives on scene. Dispatchers are trained to ask specific questions relevant to the officer’s response. In the few minutes that it takes for the officer to drive to a location, particularly one that is volatile, many things can change. A suspect may leave, a shot can be fired, a burglar can gain entry, or more people can arrive at a fight with weapons. The more information you can provide the better chance officers have of apprehending a suspect, bringing a fight under control, or preventing injuries.
Why won’t they let me talk to a police officer when I call?
The E-911 Center is staffed with highly-trained professionals whose responsibility is to provide community service, interview callers, and relay information to police officers. Officers do not staff any positions in the Center. Simply, police officers are not available to speak to when you call 911.
How does the 9-1-1 Call Taker know my address?
If you don’t know the address you are calling from, many times your address and telephone will automatically appear on the 9-1-1 Call Taker’s computer screen. This is not foolproof, however, and does not work with cell phones. The 9-1-1 Call Taker will always ask you to confirm the address and telephone number you are calling from.
What do you mean you don’t have my address, don’t you have Caller ID? Doesn’t my information show up?
Because of the compatibility between the phone systems used in the E-911 Center and the phone company, we do not have Caller ID information available on every non-emergency call that we receive. On some calls, we will have a phone number show up on our screens, and on some calls we will even receive a name and phone number. On the non-emergency lines, we will never receive address information.
What if I don’t know where I am?
At times, during emergency situations such as traffic accidents, you may not know where you are. The 9-1-1 Call Taker will ask you a series of questions to help you remember where you were headed, what roads you took, etc. Remember, it is your responsibility to take note of what street you are on, what cross streets you are near, what mile markers you passed, etc. Keeping your location in mind will enable the 9-1-1 Call taker to dispatch help more quickly and efficiently.
Why does it take so long to get a dispatcher to answer when I’m calling 911 or the 431-3131 or 883-5215 non-emergency number
It seems like an eternity when there is an emergency and you are waiting for a response. In reality it is only seconds. PLEASE DO NOT HANG UP.
Why does the dispatcher hang up on me when I call to report aN incident out side of st francois or ste genevieve county
Dispatchers do not hang up on callers. The click one hears is not a hang up, but rather a transfer to the appropriate agency. DO NOT HANG UP! You are being transferred to the agency appropriate to your call.
Why are Dispatchers so abrupt with callers?
The dispatchers have a very serious job to perform and are responsible for quickly obtaining answers to specific questions. They concentrate on setting the facts and acting promptly. This sometimes is mistaken for rudeness. Protecting victims, law enforcement officers and fire department personnel is among the main objectives. Following orders established by law enforcement helps ensure this objective.
Why does my cell phone call 9-1-1 by accident?
Many of us use our cell phones, hang up, and set the cell phone in a holder or on the passenger seat. many cell phones are pre-programmed to call 9-1-1 when the quick key is pressed. In some cases, even when the keys are locked on your cell phone and it is in your pocket, the cell phone can still get bumped and call 9-1-1.
Can i let my child or grand child play with an old cell phone
Yes, but please take the battery out of it prior to giving it to them. Cell phones with out sim cards can still call 911 when powered on, and if it happens to dial 911 it ties up emergency lines for someone else that may have a life threatening need
where can i sign up for weather alerts for st francois or ste genevieve county
You can go to our home page sfc911.net and scroll down and click on the weather notification box this will take to the self sign up page
the post office told me to call 911 for an address is this right
NO!! 911 is for emergencies only , if you need an address please call 573-431-7842
can you receive text to 911 calls
Not at this time , But coming soon