|
|
|
WHAT IS
911? |
|
Top |
WHAT IS 911? |
|
|
Dialing 911 is an IMMEDIATE way to contact local
emergency services (law enforcement, fire or medical) during an
emergency. The 911 system is intended to become a nationwide
emergency telephone number as a public service with the primary
objective of preserving life and property. Ideally, nearly every
American citizen, and visitor to this country, who has access to a
telephone, may summon aid by dialing this simple three-digit number,
regardless of location, familiarity with an area, time of day or
type of emergency. The 911 system is a "TEAM" of professional men
and women who are on call 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365
days-a-year. These people are trained to assist in getting emergency
help to you as quickly as possible. |
|
Top |
BENEFITS OF 911 |
| |
-
There is only one
number to remember, so in an emergency you won't have to look up
the number for police, fire or EMS (Emergency Medical Service).
-
Using 911 eliminates
the need to determine which emergency response agency to call.
-
Enhanced 911
technology displays your calling location so you don't have to
speak in order for the dispatcher to know your address.
- All emergency agencies have devices called a
TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) to communicate with
hearing impaired callers.
|
|
Top |
HOW ENHANCED
911 WORKS |
| |
The emergency number 911 can be dialed from any
telephone and will go directly to the PSAP (Public Safety Answering
Point) where special computers and monitors display the location and
phone number where the 911 call originated. A typical 911
ANI/ALI (Automatic Number Identifier/Automatic Location Identifier) display will
provide the phone number, address, apartment or lot number (if
necessary) and the name of the
telephone service subscriber.
The 911 call taker will ask questions about your
emergency and determine what type of emergency response agency will best meets
your needs. You may be asked to "stay on the line" while you are
transferred to the appropriate response agency. (For example,
to Washington
State Patrol. if you are reporting an emergency that is happening on
a state highway of Interstate 5).
|
|
Top |
WHEN TO
CALL 911 |
|
|
Dial
911 in any "EMERGENCY".
An emergency is any serious situation where a police officer, fire
fighter, or emergency medical help is needed right away. If you are
calling from a PBX or CENTREX telephone system it may be necessary
to dial 9-911 (dialing 9 to get an outside line).
Dial 911 for
EMERGENCIES such as:
|
|
-
fires.
-
motor vehicle accidents or major traffic and
street obstructions.
-
injuries requiring emergency medical attention.
-
hazardous chemical spills.
-
fire alarms, smoke detectors or carbon monoxide
alarms that are sounding.
-
sparking electrical hazards.
-
smoke in a building.
-
...or any other emergency.
|
|
|
Top |
WHEN
NOT TO CALL 911 |
| |
|
Avoid
programming 9-1-1 into your autodial
Do
not program 9-1-1 into your home or cellular phones and be
sure to LOCK YOUR CELLULAR PHONE KEYPAD. Experience has proven
this to be the cause of unintended calls that burden the 9-1-1
system unnecessarily. No significant time is saved by programming
9-1-1 into your autodial. In fact,
there is greater potential for dialing error.
|
DO NOT
dial 911
for
GENERAL INFORMATION
or
NON-EMERGENCY purposes such
as:
-
power outages during
a storm. (call the Cowlitz P.U.D. at 360-423-2210)
-
barking dogs. (call
the Humane Society at 360-577-0151)
-
lost pets. (call the
Humane Society at 360-577-0151)
-
finding a towed
vehicle. (call local tow companies)
-
asking directions.
(call your destination and ask them)
-
inquiring about
school openings and closures. (call the individual school)
-
reporting a blocked
driveway, obstructed hydrant, etc. (call the Communications
Center at 360-577-3090)
-
asking about snow
emergencies or parking bans.
-
reporting a noise
complaint. (call the Communications Center at 360-577-3090)
-
asking about traffic
tickets. (call the number indicated on the ticket)
-
seeking information
from a police or fire office. (check phone book for specific
department phone number)
-
asking about a late
school bus. (call the school transportation office)
-
checking the weather.
(listen to your local radio stations)
-
reporting rust in the
water or dirty water (call the Water Department)
-
reporting garbage
problems.
-
reporting street
lights out. (call the City Street Department)
-
reporting no heat
problems. (call the Cowlitz P.U.D. at 360-423-2210)
-
reporting found
hypodermic needles. (place the used needle inside a container such
as soda can or empty plastic bottle and dispose of in a garbage
can)
-
reporting suspected
drug dealing. (call the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Drug Task Force at
360-442-5900)
-
reporting suspected
child abuse not in progress. (call Child Protective
Services at 360-577-2152)
-
reporting public
health problems (call the Health Department at 360-414-5599)
|
|
QUESTIONS THE 911 DISPATCHER MAY ASK |
|
Top |
-
What is your
emergency?
-
What is the location
of the emergency? (address, street name, house/apartment number)
-
When did this happen?
-
What is your name?
-
What is the phone
number you are calling from?
-
How many patients?
-
What is on fire?
-
Do you
need a law enforcement officer?
-
Is the patient
conscious?
-
Can you get out of the house?
-
Are you in
immediate danger?
-
Is the patient
breathing? Normally?
-
Are there any other
problems with the patient?
-
Suspect description?
-
Vehicle description?
-
License number?
-
Suspect's direction
of travel?
-
Did you see any
weapons?
-
How many suspects?
|
|
|
It
is important to remember that these questions are not delaying the
emergency response! Help is being
sent even while you are talking to
us.
In order for
us to help you, you must help us obtain all the necessary
information to process the call. From this point the
dispatcher may ask a series of questions directed to the status of
the patient and offer medical intervention as to how you as the
caller can aid the patient. Always attempt to be as calm as
possible, you are an important part of providing help to those in
need. |
|
Top
|
WHAT TO
DO IF YOU CAN’T SPEAK |
|
-
Stay calm.
-
Dial 911.
-
Either leave the
phone hanging or make some sort of noise to let the dispatcher
know there is a real emergency.
-
With Enhanced 911 your
address is provided to the call taker and they can go ahead and dispatch police, fire
or medical assistance to your location even if they do not hear
you speak.
|
|
Top
|
TYPES
OF PHONES THAT CAN ACCESS 911 |
|
|
Rotary |
Touch-tone |
Portable |
|
Pay Phone |
Cellular/Mobile |
TTY
(deaf/hearing impaired) |
|
VoIP
(Voice over Internet Protocol)
|
VoIP
allows you to make telephone calls using a computer network,
over a data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice
signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels
over the internet then converts it back at the other end so
you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number.
Calls to 911 with traditional telephones provide emergency
service dispatchers with the caller's number and address. In
contrast, VoIP providers do not all connect to the systems
that route calls directly to emergency dispatchers.
Sometimes the 911 calls do not include location information
and end up at office numbers that are not always answered. |
|
|
Top |
DIALING 911 ON A CELLULAR PHONE |
|
|
-
If you are in your
vehicle, pull off to the side of the road.
-
Dial 911.
-
Tell the call-taker
the location of the emergency and your call-back number. Some cellular
phones may not have the ability to inform the 911 dispatcher of
your identity or location or (in some cases) your cell phone
number.
-
Be patient.
Cellular/wireless calls are not always automatically routed to the
nearest PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point). Often times you may
need to be transferred to the correct agency in that area.
-
Cellular 911 calls
are FREE!
|
|
|
Top |
IDEAS TO
HELP IN THE HOME |
|
|
-
Keep your phone at
an easy-to-reach level, like on the coffee table, bed stand,
etc.
-
A cordless phone
offers mobility in the home.
-
Write your address
in large print on or near your phone.
-
Make sure your
street address is on your mailbox and on the front of your house
(easily visible from the street).
|
|
|
|
